BlandsLaw provide a ‘hand up’ to families in Australia and Overseas in partnership with Habitat for Humanity Australia

Click  download the PR_BLANDSLAW_Habitat_1NOV11

Published on Lawyers Weekly

Battling negative public perceptions about lawyers is a key focus point for a new grassroots lawyer movement.

Your Invited Full Day Interactive Social Media Workshop

Choose from 2 Locations

The Personal Property Securities Act 2009 (Cth) (PPS Act) establishes a new national system for the registration of security interests in personal property. PPS reform introduces fundamental changes to the law of personal property and is also designed to establish one central register (PPS Register) administered by the Commonwealth of Australia.‬

The aim of the PPS reform is stated to be to improve the ability of individuals and businesses, particularly small-to-medium size businesses, to use all their property in raising capital.

Fair Work Australia's minimum wage panel released its 2011 Annual Minimum Wage Decision on Friday, 3 June 2011. Under the Fair Work Act 2009, the Minimum Wage Panel of Fair Work Australia must conduct an annual wage review in each financial year.

Social Farming

Getting a grip on farm IR responsibilities

Farmers need to be aware of their responsibilities when hiring and retaining farm workers, including their obligations under the Pastoral Award 2010 according to Kondinin Group.

In the lead up to sowing growers are no doubt recruiting their workforce. And while the common farm employment contract is nothing more than a handshake, growers need to be aware of the legal environment they enter when hiring staff. Danica Leys and Andrew Bland of Blandslaw, provide an insight into farm industrial law and a number of new developments worthy of growers’ attention.

See the full article  by Danica Leys and Andrew Bland in Farming Ahead.

Interesting Crikey article on #AgChatOz and its' founders, including our own Danica Leys.

On January 2011, the Trade Practices Act 1974 (TPA) will be replaced with the Competition and Consumer Act 2010. The most significant changes will be centred around the issue of unfair contract terms and the consequences of a finding a term is ‘unfair’.  Click on the following link to read further; Trade Practices Act Agribusiness

As we get into 2011, we encourage employers to review and consider their obligations, employment terms and conditions, policies, procedures and practices to ensure an industrially successful 2011 ahead. We have highlighted some recent developments and upcoming matters for consideration in the workplace. To read the full article, click on the following; Looking Forward - 2011 the year ahed

In NSW, the Security Interests in Goods Act 2005 (SIGA) has replaced the Liens on Crop and Wool and Stock Mortgages Acts 1898, and the Bills of Sale Act 1898.It commenced operation on the 1st March 2006. This means that a "crop lien‟, as it was once known, is now replaced with what is termed a "crop mortgage‟. Read the full article here

Farmers across Australia are increasingly using the social media network Twitter to promote their businesses and access news relevant to their industry.  Read the full article from the ABC's website here.

A stated intention of the award modernisation process was not to result in a reduction of an employee’s take home pay. The Schedule 5 provisions of the Fair Work (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Act, 2009 (Transitional legislation) specifically empower Fair Work Australia to remedy any reductions in take-home pay. Read the full article here .

Calibration, efficacy and kill rate are not the only factors to think of when spraying. Growers are reminded of their legal obligations when applying chemical and how a few simple record-keeping habits could keep them out of nasty and expensive legal situations.

Andrew Bland and Danica Leys of BlandsLaw contributed to this article from Farming Ahead.

Fair Work Australia’s Minimum Wage Panel has yesterday, made its first minimum wage decision. This decision affects the national minimum wage, modern award rates of pay and rates of pay in certain transitional instruments. Click here to read the full article.

Online magazine Inc. spoke to BlandsLaw's Vivienne Storey about how to write a social media policy. Click here to read the full story.

Social Media exponent Iggy Pintado had some good things to say about BlandsLaw and its Sample Social Media Policy - click here to read.

The redundancy provisions in the Fair Work Act place a positive obligation on employers to fully explore redeployment opportunities within oan employer's wider corporate structure. As lawyer Andrew Bland explains, proactively pursuing and proposing alternate employment opportunities before redundancy or termination will minimise the risk of unfair dismissal claims or adverse action such as litigation being brought by employees. Click here to read the full article