McKays Solicitors have chosen to support the Mackay Community Foundation through the establishment of a named fund, the ‘McKays Solicitors Charitable Fund’. The directors of McKays proudly share the same ethos as the Foundation to “give where you live”. Each year, the Foundation invest..
Read MoreThe Fair Work Commission (FWC) has today granted a 3% wages increase to award wage workers. The FWC lifted the national minimum wage by $21.60 a week, or 57 cents an hour, to $740.80, or $19.49 an hour. The change will take effect from the 1st July, 2019. The flow on effect to Aw..
Read MoreManaging “smoko” breaks and the risks arising from smoking in the workplace remains a troubling issue for many employers. Research in 2013 by the Ohio State University established an average cost to employers of absenteeism alone due to smoking breaks of more than $3,000 per annum, without ..
Read MoreIf you are borrowing funds from overseas lenders to purchase property, and they are not in the business of lending money, you will most likely need to seek approval from the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB). FIRB is an Australian government advisory board that reviews the purchase ..
Read MoreHere is a common scenario we see all the time in the construction industry. You enter into a construction contract which has specifications that require you to install a particular product, for example, a bath, air-conditioning system, a fire collar or whatever. You install it but it’s defective. What are your rights?
Read MoreWhen starting a new company, take the time to consider and prepare a detailed Shareholders Agreement as it can help to avoid costly problems in the future. Usually directors and shareholders of a company begin with a shared vision of their new business, however views often change over time.
Read MoreIt is so important to have a well-drafted Will, in order to ensure that upon your death, your farm, hard earned money, and other assets: a) Pass to the people you want; and b) Support your beneficiaries’ needs (such as a surviving spouse or children) in the way you want ..
Read MoreWe have provided numerous articles on the Personal Property Securities Act (“PPSA”) and its importance in protecting your assets and taking and perfecting security over other assets. The Register came online on the 30th January, 2012. This means there may be some PPS registrations which will expire on the 30th January, 2019.
Read MoreDuring the succession planning process, the situation often arises where the older generation (parents/grandparents/aunts and uncles) want to continue to reside on the farm and live in their home, while the younger generation take on the responsibilities of running the farm. It is important ..
Read MoreSetting up a new company is on a superficial level, quick and easy. However, there are intricacies to the incorporation process of which to be aware. When setting up a company many people simply tick the yes box when asked “do you need a Constitution”. However after the company is incorporated, ..
Read MoreThe Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (“DAF”) and Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority (“QRIDA”) have announced assistance packages for those Primary Producers affected from the recent fires that occurred between 30 November to 6 December in our region.
Read MoreThere is a common, and potentially very costly, misconception that changing a copyright protected work by 10% (or any other percentage for that matter) or only reproducing a smaller proportion of a protected work will mean that one can avoid liability for copyright infringement. This
Read MoreThe Queensland government has announced that the Security of Payment provisions of the Building Industry Fairness (Security of Payment) Act (BIFA) will commence on 17 December 2018.
Read MoreA recent dispute between a building certifier and his client has landed in the District Court after the client posted allegedly defamatory comments on Yelp, True Local and a number of other public business review sites. The building certifier sought damages in the sum of $150,000 a..
Read MoreThe licensing regime erected by the Queensland Building and Construction Commission Act 1991 (Qld) (QBCC Act) is, to quote Churchill “a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma”. That said, if you want to be involved in the construction industry in Queensland, it is a riddle which you need..
Read MoreThe recent action taken by Australia’s consumer watchdog, the ACCC, against Europcar is a reminder for all business owners to ensure they are not charging “unreasonable” credit card surcharges. The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) has started proceedings in the Federal..
Read MoreThe Court decided that a worker who was supplied through a labour hire company as a casual truck driver to a mine in Queensland was not in fact a casual employee under the Fair Work Act. As a result, the employee was held to be a permanent full-time employee entitled to annual leave and a payment in lieu of notice when his employment ended.
Read MoreOwners of private and local government buildings in the Mackay region must meet new state-wide obligations to undertake a mandatory three stage process to identify if a building has ‘combustible cladding’.
Read MoreThe general position is that it is legal for a person involved in a conversation to record that conversation, irrelevant of whether that conversation is face-to-face, via telephone, or via electronic means. The other party to the conversation does not need to know that they are being record..
Read MoreThe short answer is yes. We strongly recommend that if you are contacted by the Police Service that you speak with a lawyer before answering any questions. If you are approached by a police officer in a public setting, you are only required to provide them with your name and current add..
