In Practice | A McCullough Robertson Podcast: Recent Episodes
McCullough Robertson
From our legal experts direct to you, ‘In Practice | A McCullough Robertson Podcast’ cuts through the noise to provide practical insights into how your legal rights may be impacted in a post COVID-19 world.
Delivering episodes on the topics that matter most to you and your business, this podcast profiles some of McCullough Robertson’s leading lawyers as they answer the pressing questions on business leaders’ minds across Australia.
Join us as we tackle everything from capital raising and estate planning, to finance and construction. Tune in for your need-to-know update on the legal world today.
In this episode, we talk to McCullough Robertson's Sarah Hausler (Partner) and Strati Pantges (Special Counsel) about the state of Australia’s water infrastructure assets and what role these play in securing our water supply going forward. Sarah is a specialist planning and environment lawyer, focusing on advisory work, planning and environment litigation. Her background includes experience in environmental science and urban and regional planning. Strati is a senior projects lawyer with 15+ years of experience in Australia and overseas, working on large-scale projects in the energy, resources and infrastructure sectors.The two of them bring their vast knowledge to topics including the challenges associated with updating or enhancing vital national water resources and the regulation of water infrastructure assets throughout the country.Additional notesTo read more about the Four Corners piece (referenced at 17:13) in this episode, visit:https://www.abc.net.au/4corners/pumped/8727826To read more about the Paradise Dam project (referenced at 7:43) in this episode, visit:https://www.queenslandcountrylife.com.au/story/7119159/paradise-dam-class-action-ramps-up-as-dry-weather-bites/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-21/concrete-in-paradise-dam-wall-fails-to-meet-design-standard/12272216
This episode examines the state of play for businesses wanting to expand their customer base to include key Government contracts, at a time when there is a push within departments to engage more with small and medium-sized Australian firms. McCullough Robertson Special Counsel, Kate Fitzgerald discusses the latest news and trends in Government procurement processes.
In this episode we talk to Nicola McMahon, Senior Associate with McCullough Robertson Lawyers about how COVID-19 has affected the relationship between employers and their workforces. We examine the increase in employment disputes and unfair dismissal claims, at a time when the national unemployment rate has been steadily rising.
Nicola talks us through some specific employment dispute cases which have come about as a product of working from home and offers advice for employers around their rights and responsibilities in unfair dismissal claims.
In this episode we talk to Naomi Omundson Senior Associate with McCullough Robertson Lawyers about how a black swan event like COVID-19 has impacted equity capital markets both in Australia and internationally.
From the surge of equity capital raisings through to shifts in mergers and acquisitions, Naomi breaks down some of the significant changes, opportunities and future outlook on capital markets.
We talk to two of McCullough Robertson’s construction and infrastructure experts about the challenges facing the industry in 2020, and what we can expect to see going into 2021. Special Counsel Alex Power and Senior Associate Darren Williams explain upcoming legislation changes in the sector and how COVID-19 will shake up the industry.Construction is being hailed as a major part of the nation’s post-pandemic economic recovery, with legislation evolving to ensure all stakeholders are appropriately licensed to carry out all components of a project and that reasonable avenues are available for recourse. While at the time of recording changes have not been legislated, Darren and Alex explain why getting legal advice now is prudent in keeping projects moving forward.In this episode, Alex and Darren provide important advice and tips for businesses to keep projects on track and in line with the new requirements. Plus, they make their prediction about what the sector can expect to see beyond 2020.
In this episode we talk to Partner Dominic McGann, a trusted authority on native title and cultural heritage matters, on how the legal landscape has changed 30 years on from the iconic Mabo decision.With many misconceptions surrounding this area of law, Dominic talks us through its complexities, from the impact of an increasing number of carbon projects on native title law, to how federal legislation will impact on future native title and cultural heritage cases.
In this episode we talk to Rebecca Lindhout, Special Counsel at McCullough Robertson in Sydney, about the rapidly evolving area of social media defamation.The ‘grapevine effect’ of social media makes it a dangerous place to be settling personal scores or slandering rivals, and even the smallest statement may land you or your business in hot water.Can commenting on a news article amount to defamation? What about sharing a Facebook post or writing a Google review? Rebecca talks us through why it’s a dangerous time to be a ‘keyboard warrior’ yourself, or to play host ‘keyboard warriors’ on your digital platforms.
In this episode we talk to John Kettle, International Partner at McCullough Robertson, about his experience advising clients through the GFC and how he sees Australian industries and businesses responding to the current economic downturn.How applicable are the learnings from the GFC to the COVID-19-related crisis? What kinds of opportunities will we see both nationally and globally following this period? John talks us through the industries that are well-positioned for growth and how he sees Australian businesses taking advantage of these growth “sweet spots”.
In this episode we talk to Reece Walker, Chair of Partners at McCullough Robertson and leading capital markets lawyer.With capital raising now on the agenda for many organisations, Reece talks us through the effects of recent Government changes and breaks down what businesses should be considering now.How does the current economic crisis compare to the GFC in terms of the capital raising environment? What should businesses be considering in order to make it a successful raising? And when should alternatives to capital raising be considered?
In this episode we talk to Phillip McGowan, Wills and Estates Partner, about some of the estate planning issues that are cropping up due to COVID-19.With many people now taking the opportunity to reconsider their personal affairs, Phillip talks us through what’s involved when drafting wills and powers of attorney documents, and how to make sure documents are executed correctly – especially during these times of distancing and isolation. Phillip also takes us across some of the key issues clients are facing. When should I be updating my will? What happens if documents aren’t executed properly? And what about do-it-yourself wills kits?
In this episode we talk to Brett Sangster, Partner and Lead for McCullough Robertson’s new commercial services arm, McR Defence. As the business world grapples with the uncertainty around COVID-19, we pivot slightly to consider the impacts of these unprecedented times on our defence and national security industry. Brett speaks about some of the most significant challenges and focuses for the Department of Defence and the broader sector. What geopolitical trends are impacting our sovereign defence capability? How has the current crisis affected suppliers to the defence industry? And how will the defence industry adapt to this ‘new normal’?
In this episode we talk to Matt McMillan, Partner at McCullough Robertson Lawyers in Sydney, about the cybersecurity issues that have emerged since the outbreak of COVID-19.With recent events creating the perfect environment for cyber attacks, Matt talks us through the realities of the current climate and what businesses should be doing to reduce their risks. How has working from home changed the cybersecurity landscape? What should businesses be proactively doing to address their vulnerabilities? What should you do in the event you are hacked? And what about legal obligations under the Privacy Act?
In this episode we talk to Guy Humble, Partner at McCullough Robertson Lawyers in Brisbane, about the rapid changes to litigation processes and the move to ‘virtual’ dispute resolution. What should parties be doing to prepare for new virtual processes? What are the risks of virtual mediation? Could virtual be the new norm for dispute resolution? And how do we bridge the intangible gap left by decision makers not ‘being in the room’?
In this episode we talk to Emile McPhee, Senior Associate in McCullough Robertson’s Property, Planning and Finance team, about the legal position on electronic signatures versus their ‘wet ink’ counterparts.With many people now unable to put pen to paper due to isolation or quarantine, Emile talks through some of the issues surrounding electronic signatures. What can and can’t you sign electronically? What should you do if you can’t sign something in person? And what should businesses be considering when executing, or accepting, an agreement digitally?
In this episode we talk to David Hughes, Tax Partner at McCullough Robertson. David unpacks some of the key aspects of the Federal Government’s stimulus packages and outlines how businesses of all sizes can make the most of the tax benefits on offer.What should businesses be aware of when applying for tax concessions? How can these incentives ease cash flow issues? What should businesses be mindful of when it comes to administration, recording and reporting requirements? And what about support for individuals?David explains not only the current state of affairs, but also what businesses should expect as we come out of the crisis.
In this episode we talk to Lydia Daly, Special Counsel in McCullough Robertson’s Employment team, about how the Coronavirus pandemic is affecting Australian workplaces.What should we know about the Federal Government’s JobKeeper wage scheme? What are the options for businesses running on ‘survival mode’? How should workplaces respond to new work-from-home arrangements? And how can businesses protect some of their most valuable assets – their people?Lydia takes us through the realities of managing a workforce in challenging economic conditions, and delivers valuable advice on how to find opportunity in even the most difficult circumstances.
In this episode we talk to Kristan Conlon, Partner in McCullough Robertson’s Property team, about the issues affecting landlords, tenants and others operating within the property industry.How do landlords and tenants fare under government’s new legislative changes? What should parties be prioritising? Should we include Force Majeure or COVID-19 clauses in property contracts? And how should we approach negotiation during this challenging climate?Kristan walks us through what individuals and businesses should be doing right now, how they should be planning to ‘weather the storm’, and what her clients have learned from the crisis so far.