Our latest insights

Across the country, we are seeing a growing trend for shareholder oppression proceedings due to mechanism being used to expediate a deal between disputing shareholders. But how do you value a minority interest held by a shareholder when they have instigated such proceedings? We look at a recent judgment which provides further clarification for valuers in these growing scenarios.

The deadline for existing Directors to apply for a Director Identification Numbers (DIN) is fast approaching. Existing Directors have until 30 November 2022 to obtain a Director ID. New Directors will need to apply for a DIN prior to being appointed as a Director.

The Senate committee charged with reviewing the government’s proposed new legislation for the exemption from fringe benefits tax (FBT) for electric vehicles (EVs) has now handed down its report.

October’s Federal Budget announcement is expected to be heavily focused on policy and reform. With increasing pressure from an aging population, the aged care sector is feeling the impacts of system reforms, relentless cost pressures, the pandemic and other changes. Consumers have higher expectations and a greater choice of providers, services and pricing models, forcing organisations to compete in new ways. The operators that thrive will be those who are able to create new business models, realise operational efficiencies and stay one step ahead of their competitors. Change also brings great opportunity and an exciting future to look forward to.

In most cases, some level of assumptions have to be made when developing an expert witness or forensic accounting report. But there are some rules around what assumptions the Courts will accept as part of your findings. From instructed assumptions and assumptions made by the expert and testing their reliability, we explore assumptions in the context of your Expert Witness reports.

Since March 2022, existing .au registrants were eligible for the Priority Allocation Process, enabling them to apply for priority status of a direct .au domain name matching their pre-existing domain name. After 20 September 2022, direct .au domain names that have not been registered will be available to the general public.

A family trust can often be the right vehicle to carry on your family business and manage family wealth. However, careful consideration needs to be given to how the trust is established and administered to ensure that the ultimate control of your income and assets rests in the right hands and is in line with your family strategy. Much time is often spent deciding on who will be the trustee and the beneficiaries of the trust, however the issue of who should be the appointor can often be overlooked.

The Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) has confirmed that from 1 July 2022, licensees must provide the QBCC with General Purpose Financial Statements (GPFS) when either submitting a Minimum Financial Requirements (MFR) Report to adjust reported Net Tangible Assets (NTA) or Allowable Annual Turnover; or complying with annual reporting requirements (if licence categories 4-7). The changes mean that licensees wishing to adjust their NTA and/or approved turnover should ensure an MFR Report is signed before 31 October 2022 and lodged with the QBCC before 30 November 2022.

The use of third party information is a reality of building an expert witness report. Compiling our areas of expertise with that of others can elevate findings and create a well-rounded, comprehensive report. But not all sources of information are created equal – and the Courts have strict requirements for what third party information is acceptable and what isn’t. In this article we look at the growing trend for an expert’s reliance on third party sources and the perception by the Court.

In our second episode of The Remarkables podcast, we meet exercise physiologists and co-founders of Be Physiology, Aj Morris, Harry White and Brittney Kenward.

GST compliance requirements for schools are wide-ranging and complex. Nevertheless, it is important to remain on top of your GST compliance obligations to avoid the imposition of financial penalties by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) or reputational damage.

Conflict in family businesses – in fact, all businesses – is a reality of any workplace. Understanding the source of a conflict, and where tension triggers exist, can help businesses pre-empt, spot and manage clashes and turn these differences into positives.