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The validity period of a Bridging Visa is tricky! Isn’t it valid until the new visa is granted? Under what circumstances or when does it expire?
View: The validity period of a Bridging Visa is tricky! Isn’t it valid until the new visa is granted? Under what circumstances or when does it expire?Regarding when a Bridging Visa takes effect, please refer to my earlier article “Can a Bridging Visa Take Effect Immediately After Lodgement? A Detailed Explanation of Priority Between Different Visas”. Today we will discuss when a Bridging Visa ceases to be in effect. In most cases, the validity period of a Bridging Visa does not need to be discussed. Normally, once the substantive visa being applied for is granted, the Bridging Visa automatically ceases. So what we are discussing today…
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I Discovered My Spouse Is Transferring Assets During the Marriage — What Can I Do?
View: I Discovered My Spouse Is Transferring Assets During the Marriage — What Can I Do?In a divorce property settlement, one scenario that frequently arises is this: one party may sell assets before the divorce in order to reduce the shared property held within the asset pool. Moreover, the transfer of assets during the marriage is usually carried out without consulting or notifying the other party in advance, which can tilt the overall property settlement in favour of the party who transferred the assets.
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Why Should You Hire a Lawyer When Buying Property in Australia?
View: Why Should You Hire a Lawyer When Buying Property in Australia?Buying property is a relatively complex matter that requires caution. Because the purchase process involves many procedures, even a slight oversight can easily lead to losses. For example, in our earlier article “The Pros and Cons of Buying Off-the-Plan Property in Australia,” we mentioned that purchase contracts typically include a 5% area-variance clause for off-the-plan properties, meaning the final area of the property is permitted to differ by up to 5% from the area shown in the pre-contract provided to…
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Company Insolvency: What Should Shareholders and Creditors Do?
View: Company Insolvency: What Should Shareholders and Creditors Do?Construction companies across Australian states are currently facing an unprecedented wave of insolvencies. According to ASIC statistics, in the 2022-2023 financial year, 2,213 construction companies entered external administration. When a company becomes insolvent, are shareholders required to use their personal assets to repay debts? And how can creditors protect their rights?
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A Mother, Four Infant Deaths, and Australia’s Greatest Miscarriage of Justice
View: A Mother, Four Infant Deaths, and Australia’s Greatest Miscarriage of JusticeAustralia is a country that places great emphasis on the rule of law and human rights, and the thresholds for establishing murder and manslaughter are extremely strict. Yet even within such a rigorous judicial system, miscarriages of justice still occur.
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Do You Need a Lawyer for Divorce? What Can an Australian Divorce Lawyer Do?
View: Do You Need a Lawyer for Divorce? What Can an Australian Divorce Lawyer Do?As most people know, Australia applies the no-fault divorce principle. A couple seeking a divorce is not required to provide the court with evidence of the other party’s fault; they only need to show that the marriage has broken down irretrievably and that they have been separated for at least 12 months before applying for divorce. But does this mean getting divorced in Australia is simple and that you don’t need to engage a divorce lawyer? Today we’ll walk you…
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What Legal Disputes Can Arise in Australian Property Transactions?
View: What Legal Disputes Can Arise in Australian Property Transactions?Buying property in Australia — whether as an investment or to extend and renovate your existing home to increase its value — is often a smart investment choice. Many people come to Australia and are willing to pour in their life savings or take on substantial loans to invest in property. However, the Australian home-buying process is full of pitfalls that are difficult to guard against. Many Chinese buyers, due to legal blind spots, language barriers, and misleading information from…
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Do You Need a Lawyer to Draft Contracts and Agreements?
View: Do You Need a Lawyer to Draft Contracts and Agreements?Whether in everyday life or at work, we all come into contact with various contracts and agreements — rental contracts, property sale and purchase contracts, commercial contracts, procurement contracts, property division agreements, and many more. The sheer variety of these contracts means we often find ourselves needing to draft, review, or approve them. Drafting a valid and well-crafted contract is essential to safeguarding our rights and interests.
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What Are the Differences Between an Australian De Facto Relationship and Marriage?
View: What Are the Differences Between an Australian De Facto Relationship and Marriage?In Australia, many people live with their partner in much the same way as a married couple, but without registering their marriage. So from a legal perspective, what is the difference between a de facto relationship and a registered marriage? Are you uncertain about how cohabiting/de facto relationships relate to registered marriages, and about the rights you enjoy under each? This article explains the differences between a de facto relationship and a registered marriage, and how you can protect your…
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Understanding Child Custody Agreements in Australia
View: Understanding Child Custody Agreements in AustraliaCompared with many other countries, Australia has a relatively high divorce rate, driven by a range of macro-level factors including multicultural integration, differing immigration backgrounds, and the retention of traditional values. By early April 2023, 51,076 couples had divorced; in 2019, 2020, and 2021, the number of divorces was 48,582, 49,510, and 56,244 respectively, showing a year-on-year upward trend (data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and IBIS World reports). When divorcing in Australia, one of the matters that spouses…
