News Centre
August 11, 2023 · Mingqiang
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 unscrupulous agents, developers, and construction companies, fall into traps when buying or building homes, resulting in significant financial loss and emotional distress. This article focuses on Australian property transactions and walks through the legal issues and disputes you may encounter, to help you gain a better understanding of Australian property law.
July 20, 2023 · Mingqiang
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.
July 13, 2023 · Mingqiang
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 rights when legal issues or disputes arise in either type of relationship.
July 12, 2023 · Mingqiang
Understanding Child Custody Agreements in Australia
Compared 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 must consider carefully is the question of child custody. The following discussion will focus on child custody in the context of divorce, walking step by step through what a child custody agreement is, what it should contain, how to put one together, and how the courts approach these matters.
July 5, 2023 · Mingqiang
NSW First Home Buyer Concessions Now in Effect! Continuous Residency Period Extended from 6 Months to 12 Months!
From 1 July this year, the former government’s stamp duty reforms have been repealed. Under the new policy, NSW first home buyers can now access expanded stamp duty exemptions and concessions. First home buyers purchasing property valued at up to AUD $800,000 are exempt from stamp duty, and concessions are available for purchases of property valued up to AUD $1,000,000.
June 28, 2023 · Mingqiang
Authorising Someone to Act on Your Behalf in Australia: What Is the Difference Between a General Power of Attorney and an Enduring Power of Attorney?
In Australia, when you need to authorise another person to make decisions about your assets or legal matters, you generally require a legal document — a General Power of Attorney or an Enduring Power of Attorney. This is also a sensible way to prepare for unexpected circumstances. So what exactly is the difference between a General Power of Attorney and an Enduring Power of Attorney? And what should you keep in mind when drafting one? This article will explain in detail, using New South Wales as the example.
June 15, 2023 · Mingqiang
What to Watch Out For When Weekly Rent Rises in Australia: Tenancy Contract Disputes Explained
In Australia, many people choose to rent, including international students and workers. Since 2022, those renting in Australia may have felt it keenly: “Why has the rent surged so dramatically?” According to data from SQM Research, weekly rents in New South Wales rose by 30.1% between 2022 and 2023, Melbourne weekly rents rose by approximately 23.8%, and other areas including Sydney, Canberra, Darwin and Adelaide all maintained a rise of roughly 1% per month.
May 31, 2023 · Qiqi
So many recent wins for employer sponsorship! As an employer, can I sponsor my employee for PR? Free self-assessment, worth saving
The May immigration reform meeting marked the beginning of a golden era for employer sponsorship. Unlike previous articles, today I will analyse and answer the following questions from an employer’s perspective: What has changed in employer sponsorship policy? What does this mean for me and my company? Can I also sponsor my employees to get PR? What conditions must my business meet in order to provide sponsorship? What obligations and costs come with sponsoring an employee? The answers are all in this article.
May 25, 2023 · Mingqiang
How Is Property Divided After Divorce in Australia?
When going through a divorce in Australia, alongside the divorce process itself and disputes over child custody, property settlement is one of the most important issues both parties will face. Many people hope to secure the greatest possible share of the property after divorce, and disputes of all kinds are common throughout the process. This article draws on the provisions of Australian law to walk you through the topic of property division after divorce and explain, in detail, the principles that govern how property is divided.
May 19, 2023 · Mingqiang
Transferring Property to Your Children? How to Do It in Australia
Just as in China, property in Australia is one of the most important assets for many families, because it represents not only material wealth but also the family’s history and legacy. When parents grow old or pass away, they often hope to transfer property to their children so that they may continue the family tradition. However, property transfers involve many legal and financial issues, so careful planning and preparation are required.