MSI Australia & New Zealand: May news-round up

Each month MSI publishes a selection of articles written by ANZ MSI member firms highlighting important topical issues in the Australia & New Zealand region.

What Fiji’s Fair Reporting of Credit Act 2016 means for business

By Armish Pal and Emele Mafial, AP Legal, Lawyers, Suva, Fiji

On 27 April 2016 the Fijian Parliament passed the Fair Reporting of Credit Act (“the Act”) to regulate the credit reporting industry which previously operated without regulation. The Act is expected to come into effect shortly.

The Act set up the legal framework for credit reporting agencies to operate with oversight by the Reserve Bank of Fiji (“RBF”) as the regulators. Read More

Food safety laws apply to everyone!

By Katherine Vincent, Johnston Withers, Lawyers, Adelaide.

Most restaurants and cafés will have a good understanding of their compliance obligations but, as this article points out, the food safety laws apply to everyone. That includes places like cinemas, petrol stations, swimming pools, even local charity or community groups hosting a one-off trade fair or fundraiser. Read More

Foreign Investors to act before NZ trust and property rules change

By Matthew Pasley, Keegan Alexander, Lawyers, Auckland.

New Zealand has long been well known as a business friendly country with light handed regulatory regimes. However, there have been recent political events and murmurings which suggest that this may be changing and potential foreign investors would be wise to act now before things do change. Read More

Crowdfunding Opportunities for Start Ups

By Lachlan Commins, Patterson Houen Commins, Lawyers, Sydney

Late last year, the federal government tabled its eagerly anticipated and long awaited revamp to the Corporations Act 2001.  That’s right, crowdfunding of the equity kind is here. Well, sort of… Crowdfunding of the rewards-based kind has been present in the Australian start-up landscape for several years now through such well known platform providers as Kickstarter and Indiegogo. Read More

The future of General Practice

By Mark O’Connor, Cutcher & Neale, Accountants, Newcastle.

Late last year, MSI Global Alliance firm – Cutcher & Neale sponsored the AMA Family Doctor Week, a national series of events highlighting the fact that the role of the General Practitioner is fundamental to the health of the community. But what about the health of General Practice itself? Read More

In Australia and New Zealand, the MSI membership comprises seven legal and eight accounting firms located in the key business centres of Adelaide, Auckland, Brisbane, Christchurch, Melbourne, Newcastle, Perth and Sydney and North Sydney.

Should you require assistance in Australia and New Zealand and to find out more about our law and accounting member firms in the region, please visit the MSI ANZ website