Publication
Blue Bonds: Making a splash in the Capital Markets
In 2018, the Republic of Seychelles launched the first-ever “blue bond”, with the support of the World Bank Group and the Global Environment Facility.
WHS Law Briefing
August 2024
Australia | Publication | August 2024
Welcome to our WHS Law Briefing. This Briefing identifies key issues and emerging trends in WHS Law, and details significant legislative and case law developments to date in August 2024. Please contact our national WHS team if you would like to discuss any of the matters in this briefing or would like any source materials which have not been included. We welcome your feedback.
Key issues and trends
| Industrial manslaughter | There have been a number of developments in relation to industrial manslaughter offences across Australia. Most notably, New South Wales has now passed legislation to introduce the offence to its WHS Act. The industrial manslaughter offence that has been adopted in New South Wales includes specific provisions concerning communication systems for conveying information about fatal risks. These provisions require careful consideration of how any potentially fatal risks are identified, communicated and mitigated through an organisation’s processes. In particular, we recommend that the WHS sections of board reports specifically address fatal risks and controls, in particular in the sections of the report dealing with understanding risks and resourcing matters. |
|
Psychosocial risks |
Psychosocial risks continue to be an area of focus. Regulators have released a range of guidance material regarding psychosocial hazards and risks, and in particular, the role of work re-design. There continue to be prosecutions involving alleged psychosocial hazards and risks. Following the release of the national model WHS Code of Practice, Sexual and gender-based harassment by Safe Work Australia in December 2023, the Code has now been adopted in four jurisdictions: New South Wales, Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory. |
| Ban of engineered stone products | On 1 July 2024, Australia became the first jurisdiction in the world to implement a ban on the use, manufacture and supply of engineered stone benchtops, panels and slabs. There are limited exceptions, including to permit certain processing of legacy items, however the work must be controlled, and the regulator must be notified before the work is carried out. Since the commencement of the ban, a number of safety regulators around Australia have warned that inspectors will be proactively ensuring that duty holders are adhering to the new regulations and taking enforcement action where non-compliance is identified. The Ministers responsible for WHS around Australia have also agreed to implement tougher regulations for crystalline silica processes more generally in September 2024. |
Recent publications
Publication
Marine Money Week New York 2025
We are delighted to be participating in Marine Money Week New York 2025. As one of the landmark events for the global shipping finance community, and with the global shipping and maritime industry at such a pivotal juncture, we look forward to catching up with clients and contacts to continue discussions around navigating the current challenges and opportunities.
Publication
The parallel imposition requirement in exclusive distribution systems: key takeaways from the CJEU’s ruling in Beevers Kaas
On 8 May 2025, the Court of Justice of the European Union (the CJEU) delivered its ruling in case C-581/23 (the Ruling), providing guidance on one of the conditions for an exclusive distribution agreement to benefit from the block exemption under Article 4(b)(i) of the 2010 Vertical Block Exemption Regulation (the VBER)1, notably the so-called ‘parallel imposition requirement’.
Subscribe and stay up to date with the latest legal news, information and events . . .