By Prudence Buckland(Solicitor). King & Wood Mallesons
The space industry is abuzz following New Zealand start up Rocket Lab’s successful rocket launch last week. With the Australian Government intending to establish a national space agency, 2018 is shaping up to be a fascinating year for the sector.
Continue Reading A giant leap forward for the Australian space industry
This article was written by Monique Carroll with the assistance of Philippa Robinson.
As foreshadowed in our article Staying Ahead of the Curve on Anti-Bribery and Corruption in Australia, the Australian Government has now introduced the Crimes Legislation Amendment (Combatting Corporate Crime) Bill 2017 (Cth) (“Bill”) into parliament which clarifies and increases the scope of conduct caught by foreign bribery offences and introduces a scheme encouraging self-reporting of breaches.
Continue Reading Australia tightens the belt on foreign bribery and corruption
By Meg Utterback, Daisy Mallett, Holly Blackwell, James McKenzie, Josephine Lao, and Ma Xiao.
China has been at the forefront of a number of recent developments in the dispute resolution space. One notable development is the announcement by the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC) of its new rules governing the arbitration of international investment disputes (Rules) and the CIETAC Investment Dispute Resolution Centre in Beijing (CIETAC IDRC), the default centre to administer those Rules. According to CIETAC’s Secretary-General, the Rules seek to “fill the gap” between Chinese commercial and investment arbitration rules and develop and promote the international investment arbitration practice in China[1].
Continue Reading CIETAC Rules Add to Investment Treaty Practice
By Louis Chiam King & Wood Mallesons’Melbourne office.
The Australian energy markets are in a state of turmoil. The regulatory and governance arrangements in electricity and gas that have served us well for two decades are facing a host of challenges. From sudden increases in electricity and gas prices and a spike in unplanned outages, through to the increasing calls for more action on carbon emissions and the rise of disruptive new technologies, it seems pressure is everywhere.
Continue Reading Under Pressure: Regulatory Reform in the Energy Market
By Scott Heezen King & Wood Mallesons’ Sydney office.
A number of tax concessions are available for Australian investment vehicles that qualify as managed investment trusts (MITs) for tax purposes. These concessions are designed to encourage investment into Australia, particularly Australian real estate, by both resident and non-resident investors.
A trust must satisfy a number of requirements in order for it to qualify as a MIT and access these concessions (download Investing Down Under: A Guide for Global Real Estate Investors in English or Chinese for a list of requirements).
Continue Reading Tax concessions for Managed Investment Trusts in AU
By Monique Carroll and Jessica Bounds King&WoodMallesons’ Melbourne office
Australia’s regulatory landscape is constantly changing and companies must stay ahead of the curve. In the anti-bribery and corruption space, a large number of legislative changes have been proposed which, if introduced, will significantly increase the level of vigilance required by companies.
Continue Reading Anti-bribery and Corruption in Australia
By Alex Maschmedt, Louise Yun King & Wood Mallesons
The National Transport Commission (NTC) has released a discussion paper outlining four regulatory options to govern the safety of driverless cars and other autonomous vehicles in Australia. These include:
These proposals mark an important step in developing a complete regulatory framework to support the large-scale roll-out of automated vehicles in the near future. The NTC is currently seeking feedback on each of the options proposed, along with any other issues that may arise in the regulation of driverless car technology. Subsequently, the NTC will formulate recommendations to submit to Australian transport ministers in November 2017.
This article evaluates the four regulatory options in light of current Australian practices surrounding vehicle safety and governance.
Continue Reading The Regulatory Road for Driverless Cars in Australia
By Odette Adams, Christina Crossman and Lauren Murphy King & Wood Mallesons
The Finkel Review into the Future Security of the National Electricity Market was released on 9 June. The Report makes some 50 policy recommendations to address the so-called “energy trilemma” – providing affordable, reliable and low emissions electricity for the country.
By Diana Nicholson, Shaun McRobert David Friedlanderand David Jewkes. King & Wood Mallesons’ Australia office.
So, you haven’t had an opportunity to keep up with what’s happened in the Takeovers Panel this year? No matter, we’ve done the hard work for you. The 10 things you need to know are:
By Scott Gardiner and Lauren Murphy. King & Wood Mallesons’ Sydney office
Rising rates of solar power and battery uptake present an unprecedented opportunity for Australia’s energy consumers. To truly harness the market potential, however, they must leverage technological advances such as better quality, real-time consolidated data.
While data accessibility has improved significantly in the
