State aid lessons for Australia from the Apple EU tax case

Sep 15, 2016 06:34 am UTC| Law

State aid is not necessarily the right forum to tackle tax avoidance by multinationals, but it is effective. The European Commissions case against Apple for receiving undue tax benefits from Ireland demonstrates the EU...

Media owners steer government away from reform in the public interest

Sep 15, 2016 01:53 am UTC| Law

The Turnbull governments media bill has been sent off to another Senate inquiry, despite protestations from the government and the industry over the need to pass it urgently. Communications Minister Mitch Fifields...

AI Revolution Series

Social media and defamation law pose threats to free speech, and it's time for reform

Sep 15, 2016 00:57 am UTC| Insights & Views Law

Recent discussion about freedom of speech in Australia has focused almost exclusively on Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act. For some politicians and commentators, 18C is the greatest challenge to freedom of...

Gay Liberal senator denounces marriage plebiscite

Sep 13, 2016 06:54 am UTC| Law Politics

The governments proposed marriage plebiscite has been delivered a fresh blow with openly gay Liberal senator Dean Smith declaring he will not vote for it. Smith described the plebiscite as abhorrent and told Fairfax...

U.S. Supreme Court Asked to Review Controversial Colorado Sales Tax Law

Sep 09, 2016 16:32 pm UTC| Law

DALLAS, Sept. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to overturn a Colorado law that Direct Marketing Association (DMA) says places undue burden on out-of-state retailers, on August 29, 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court was asked...

Pharmacists may accept re-dispensing medication, but will patients?

Sep 09, 2016 10:25 am UTC| Insights & Views Health Law

Not a week goes by without a financial crisis in the NHS making the headlines. Cutbacks and closures are a constant threat as money runs dry for trusts and health boards across the country. The need for cash is reaching a...

The US has banned antibacterial handwashes – here's why Australia should too

Sep 08, 2016 07:49 am UTC| Law

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last week ruled to disallow the use of the more than a dozen antibacterial compounds in so-called antibacterial handwashes. Australias regulator is now assessing whether...