Category: International

Our latest news and insights

A collection of articles, case studies and media releases highlighting the latest in legal news and at Rigby Cooke Lawyers.

Search

Category

Sector

Get our newsletter

Stay up to date with the latest legal insights and news

Sign Up
Federal Budget 2022-23

Federal Budget 2022-23 — New tax measures announced

26 October 2022

On 25 October 2022, Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers handed down the Budget of the newly elected Government for 2022-23.

read more
Trade, Covid-19,

New Indonesian Free Trade deal to be a bright spot in our trade agenda

11 May 2020

One of the major tasks for government’s around the world are to adopt measures which may assist business to recover and thrive as they plan to move out of COVID– 9 restrictions. As much as national governments have committed to generally keep borders open, there remains the need to actively take action to ensure that commitments are met and that new initiatives are adopted to support further enhancements to the trade environment.

read more
COVID-19, Exports, Australian Federal Government, Australia

Australian Government support for Australian seafood exporters and other COVID-19 developments

02 April 2020

On 1 April 2020, the Australian Federal Government announced a new financial package to support exports of seafood to overseas markets as well as to increase funding of the Export Market Development Grant scheme (EMDG). This is one of a series of financial support packages released as part of Australia’s response to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

read more
European Union

Brexit – the formal start but not the practical end just yet

12 February 2020

This article was first published by AirCargo Magazine.

Well, it finally happened. 1,317 days, two elections and a number of pieces of legislation after the UK referendum voted to leave the European Union (EU), the departure procedures commenced.

read more

Ministerial decisions on dumping duty investigations released in the shadow of the Australian Federal election

08 July 2019

In the week leading to the Federal election, the Minister for Industry Science and Technology (Minister) released her decisions as to the imposition of interim dumping and countervailing duties on steel pallet racking and PVC covered electrical cabling.

read more

Asset protection considerations for foreign purchasers

11 December 2018

If you have recently purchased property in Australia, it is important that you protect your new asset. Most people immediately take out insurance to protect their new property from the consequences of flood, fire, damage and theft. Many people fail to protect their new asset from the consequences of incapacity or death.

read more

Australia presses ahead with its FTA agenda after its own regime changes

21 September 2018

This article was first published in AirCargo magazine, September 2018.

Notwithstanding the issues associated with changes in the Australian Federal Government (including a new prime minister and new ministers for both Foreign Affairs and Trade), the process of approval of new Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and parliamentary reviews of FTAs before enabling legislation is introduced to Parliament has continued.

read more

A trade ‘Letter from America’

03 May 2018

This article was first published by AirCargo Magazine.

The renowned journalist Alistair Cooke famously wrote and broadcast ‘Letter from America’ from the US for a period of 58 years. It was a concise and learned spoken piece, around 15 minutes in length in which Mr Cooke delivered observations on developments in the US over the preceding week to a BBC audience in a manner intended to educate the listener and remove some of the confusion usually associated with the US. 

read more
CPTPP

The CPTPP – the TPP back from the (near) dead and coming your way

22 February 2018

This article was first published on the 20 February 2018 in Air Cargo Asia-Pacific Magazine. and has been updated on 22 February 2018 to reflect the release of the CPTPP text.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) was an ambitious 12 nation free trade agreement (FTA) which was entered into some time ago but had never been formally implemented even though its entry into force had been approved by New Zealand and Australia.

read more
importance of SMEs and access to e-commerce solutions

The importance of SMEs and access to e-commerce solutions in the global supply chain

19 December 2017

This article was first published by Air Cargo Asia-Pacific Magazine.

Even as the world’s attention is drawn to events including the Eleventh WTO Ministerial Conference (MC11) in Buenos Aires, Argentina and the announcement of a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between the EU and Japan, there also is growing acceptance of the importance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) globally.

read more
annual Australian International Business Survey

New insights for Australian businesses who trade internationally

15 December 2017

The annual Australian International Business Survey (AIBS) has been released. This survey is the product of a collaboration between the University of Technology Sydney, Efic, Austrade and the Export Council of Australia (ECA). It is one of the country’s largest and most in-depth surveys of internationally-active Australian businesses.

read more
VTA

GST collection method for low value transactions passes test

16 November 2017

Those within the customs and international trade industry have been following ongoing narration on the imposition of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on low-value transactions (LVT) closely.

read more
annual Australian International Business Survey

Finance and insurance keep the supply chain circulating

15 November 2017

This article was first published by DCN.

Much of the focus in the supply chain revolves around the physical logistics of moving goods to their final destination and the regulation of that movement.

read more
Bills of Lading

NSW District Court decision shows the risks in the issue of Bills of Lading

14 November 2017

A decision of the NSW District Court delivered on 16 October 2017 has created massive levels of concern in the freight forwarding industry as it led to an order for significant damages against a freight forwarding company based on bills of lading (BL) which it had issued but were used for purposes other than originally intended.

read more
The new Trump tariffs – the tip of the trade iceberg

The Trans-Pacific Partnership “re-imagined” no longer a mirage?

13 November 2017

To adapt one of the literary world’s great quotes it would appear that ‘the news of the death of the TPP had been greatly exaggerated.’

read more

Australian Border Force Goods Compliance Update

27 October 2017

This update was first published by CBFCA Australia.

On 12 October 2017, the Australian Border Force (ABF) released the September 2017 edition of the ABF Goods Compliance Update (Update).

read more

A compliant supply chain is an exporter’s best friend

23 October 2017

This article first published in the Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) Exporters Guide 2017 – 2018.

Sadly, the importance of complying with the requirements of the agencies at the border (which govern the export and import of goods) is often last on a long list of considerations of an exporter – if it appears at all.

read more
GST on LVTs

GST on LVT – the Bill that keeps on giving

12 October 2017

This article was first published by Daily Cargo News.

A previously reported, the Bill to impose GST on low value imported goods (LVTs) has recently passed through our Federal Parliament. However, by no means have all the issues associated with the Bill been resolved with certainty.

read more
Netflix tax’

Australia introduces GST on low value imported goods and services: what you need to know

06 July 2017

This article was first published by New Zealand Trade and Enterpriseon 3 July 2017..

Australia is introducing new goods and services tax (GST) legislation relating to ‘low value’ imported goods and services.

read more
TPP

The first 7 days of the Trump administration ‒ revolutionary or a naughty boy?

06 February 2017

This article was written by Rigby Cooke Lawyers Trade and Customs Partner Andrew Hudson, and was originally published by Lloyd’s list Australia on 6 February 2017. For further information, please contact Andrew Hudson

The first week of the Trump administration delivered a number of the outcomes promised during the election campaign and put to rest the theories that the outcomes were only rhetoric.

read more
Foreign property transactions

Foreign property transactions to be hit with additional expenses

19 June 2016

A number of recent changes affecting foreign purchasers of property in Victoria have either come into, or are soon to come into effect. These changes are already impacting on the sale of property.

read more
stamp duty

Good stamp duty news for foreign hotel buyers

10 June 2016

As you may be aware, there is a Bill (State Taxation and Other Acts Amendment Bill 2016) before the Victorian Parliament that will upon becoming law, have the effect of increasing the stamp duty surcharge on the acquisition by foreign purchasers of residential property in Victoria to 7%.

read more
personal information

Transferring personal information offshore – how Australian businesses can minimise the risk

16 May 2016

Can Australian businesses send information overseas?

If your business discloses personal information to an overseas recipient, it may be accountable for any actions of the overseas recipient that would breach the APPs. This leaves your business with a significant exposure – your business could be found liable based solely on the actions of the overseas recipient.

read more
Capital Gains Tax

New foreign resident capital gains withholding payments regime

09 May 2016

Quick facts:

  • From 1 July 2016, any purchaser who acquires an Australian property with value of $2 million or more from a foreign resident vendor will be required to withhold and pay 10% of the purchase price to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).
read more
Safe Harbour ruling

What is the European Court of Justice Safe Harbour ruling?

11 October 2015

The European Court of Justice has ruled that a 15-year-old agreement allowing companies to transfer personal information from servers within the European Union to servers in the United States is invalid.

read more