McR turns 100
McR turns 100

Category: Insight

Psychosocial Safety and Health – keeping the regulator, union, board and workforce happy

The resources and renewables industry has long been defined by its strong focus on physical safety. High‑risk operations, hazardous environments and the potential for catastrophic consequences have driven sophisticated Safety and Health Management Systems, regulatory scrutiny and sustained Site Senior Executive (SSE) and executive attention. Recent experience across the sector has demonstrated that workers, unions […]

Australia’s renewable energy market update

Australia’s energy transition continues to progress in 2026, driven by strong renewable generation growth, evolving policy frameworks, shifting market dynamics, and ongoing pressure from external global forces.  This year, renewables reached record instantaneous penetration levels on the National Electricity Market (NEM), with more than three-quarters of grid demand supplied by wind, solar and hydro at […]

Critical minerals update

Moving into 2026, Australia’s critical minerals sector is set for significant change.  As global demand grows, governments are adopting more strategic policies and controls to secure access to these resources.  The October 2025 signing of The United States-Australia Framework for Securing of Supply in the Mining and Processing of Critical Minerals and Rare Earths’ (Framework) […]

Market update: Resources

2025 proved to be an uncertain but resilient year for Australia’s resources sector.  Despite forecasts of Australia’s resource and energy exports falling to $372 billion in 2024-25, we saw what optimists may call a resilient performance, with export earnings of approximately $385 billion in 20251 (notwithstanding this still represents a decline of $30 billion from […]

‘Full steam ahead’ for EPBC Act Reform rollout

Can the EPBC Act reforms deliver the promised wins for both the environment and business? Once in a generation reforms to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth)(EPBC Act) were passed by Federal Parliament in November 2025, fundamentally changing environmental approvals risk and compliance in Australia. Implementation is being staged through to 2028, […]

CPS 230 compliance countdown: Material Service Providers and what must be fixed before 1 July 2026

The date for compliance with the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority’s (APRA) Prudential Standard CPS 230 Operational Risk Management (CPS 230) for APRA‑regulated entities and their material service providers is rapidly approaching.  If your organisation is a material service provider to an APRA‑regulated entity, your deadline to engage with those entities and finalise amendments to contracts […]

Cemetery operator regulation: the shift from education to compliance and enforcement has begun

A sector in transition and sharp regulatory focus The cemeteries sector in New South Wales is undergoing a period of significant legal and operational change. For cemetery operators, the convergence of capacity pressures, legislative reform and a shift in regulatory priorities create both risk and opportunity. The industry regulator, Cemeteries & Crematoria NSW, in its […]

Who bears the risk? Regulatory conditionality and deal protection in the new Australian M&A landscape

At a glance The convergence of Australia’s new mandatory ACCC merger control regime (operative from 1 January 2026), an increasingly assertive FIRB, and the high-profile collapse of the Cosette/Mayne Pharma transaction (read our previous article on this transaction) has fundamentally altered the regulatory risk landscape for Australian M&A. This article argues that the existing contractual […]

Navigating major shareholder transactions: Corporations Act and ASX Listing Rules

People stand on a walkway in a glass building with the sun setting in the background

There are several regulatory hurdles that companies must consider when planning and undertaking a transaction that involves a major shareholder, with these being particularly important for ASX-listed companies. This article focuses on the key considerations under Chapter 6 of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (Corporations Act) (Takeovers) and Chapter 10 of the ASX Listing Rules […]

A clearer path for FFSPs: New licensing exemptions passed

A cement spiral staircase leads down into a dark building

There is welcome news for Foreign Financial Service Providers (FFSPs). After years of regulatory uncertainty, Australia has now established a clear and enduring pathway for FFSPs seeking exemption from the Australian financial services licensing (AFSL) regime. These exemptions were introduced by Schedule 2 to the Treasury Laws Amendment (Genetic Testing Protections in Life Insurance and […]

Guillotines and costs: Strengthening enforcement order variations in practice

A sandstone brick government building sits against a blue skyline with palm trees in the foreground, and a clock-tower rising behind it.

In the recent decisions of 1770 Nominees Pty Ltd and Anor v Gladstone Regional Council [2026] QPEC 1 and 1770 Nominees Pty Ltd and Anor v Gladstone Regional Council (No. 2) [2026] QPEC 3, the Planning and Environment Court (P&E Court) considered proposed variations to an enforcement order that had been obtained by Gladstone Regional […]

Finally, some good inflation figures – increases to procurement thresholds

A paved single-lane road curves throughout a forest landscape

On 12 December 2025 the Local Government Legislation (Empowering Councils) Amendment Regulation 2025 (Qld) came into effect, amending the Local Government Regulation 2012 (Qld) (LGR) and the City of Brisbane Regulation 2012 (Qld) (CBR). As the title of the regulation suggests, the objective of this was to empower local governments to be more autonomous in […]

The enforcement spectrum: choosing the right compliance pathway in local government

When considering the most appropriate enforcement action to take, local governments have discretion to consider whether to take enforcement action based on the available evidence and the circumstances of the individual investigation. It is helpful to consider enforcement as a spectrum moving from left to right, where considerations include the offence in issue, the outcome sought […]

Unpacking the new reforms to Queensland’s Local Government framework

A sandstone brick government building sits against a blue skyline with palm trees in the background, and a clock-tower rising behind it.

On 11 March 2026, the Local Government (Empowering Councils) and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2026 (Qld) (the Act) received assent, introducing significant reforms to the Local Government Act 2009 (Qld), the City of Brisbane Act 2010 (Qld) and associated regulations. The Act introduces changes to councillor conduct, conflicts of interest and council governance, among many […]

Renewables Alert: Proposed CGT Discount regime

Wind energy in a green field

The Government has published draft legislation to implement a targeted, time‑limited 50% CGT discount for certain foreign investors investing in renewable energy assets.  The concession is expressly transitional and is designed to support continued capital inflows into the renewables sector, while investors and markets adjust to the new long‑term tax settings.

Strengthening outcomes in community housing disputes

A community housing apartment complex with a simple glass and cladding structure

McCullough Robertson’s Real Estate and Employment Relations and Safety teams have recently partnered with the Community Housing Industry Association Queensland (CHIA) to contribute to the statutory review of the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2009 and the Tribunal’s operations. Our focus is improving how tenancy and community living disputes are resolved, particularly the challenges […]

The trustee’s right of indemnity

A business man and a business woman speak at a coffee shop, with reflected light shining across their faces anonymising them

Part 1 of a series on ‘The trustee and the trust‘ The duties of a trustee are well-known.  The trustee must, among other things, acquaint themselves with the terms of the trust, comply with the terms of the trust and must ‘get in’, protect and preserve trust property.  When exercising their powers, a trustee must act […]

OAIC releases Exposure Draft of Children’s Online Privacy Code

A young adolescent boy holds a silver laptop, while his younger brother leans over him showing him a phone with a bright green case

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) published a long-awaited draft Children’s Online Privacy Code (Code) on Tuesday. Once registered, the Code will set out new rules for the digital domain which aim to uplift online protections for children while promoting and educating children about their privacy rights.  The Code is intended to work in […]

Navigating the NSW Government Sector Integrity Framework: What agencies need to know

A caucasian woman and an African-American woman speak in a modern, brightly lit lobby which has indoor plants and indoor trees.

The NSW Office of the Public Service Commissioner (OPSC) released the NSW Government Sector Integrity Framework (the Framework) in March 2026, alongside a self-assessment tool, action planning guide, and template. For public sector agencies, it is the most structured integrity diagnostic the sector has seen, and the timing is not incidental. The obligations on NSW […]

Reforms to Resources Safety and Health Queensland

The introduction of a new ResourcesSafety and Health Bill signals a continued focus on regulatory accountability and transparency within Queensland’s safety regime. With the high number of fatalities and other critical incidents that have occurred on Queensland mine sites already this year, the Bill applies to worker safety and health across mining, quarrying, petroleum, gas and explosives industries. Read more about the changes here.

What’s in a name? DAs, Class 1 merits appeals, standing, and owner’s consent

Whilst the law allows some flexibility to correct an error, the ability to substitute in a different person or entity as an applicant is not absolute, and all parties and the Court are therefore served best when this is done correctly the first time around.

This particular case serves as a useful reminder of the importance of ensuring that the correct person or entity is listed as the applicant on a DA and in Class 1 merits proceedings.

Automated decision-making transparency requirements—new obligations for businesses with AI systems

This article was first published in the LexisNexis Internet Law Bulletin, Volume 28, Issue 1, 2026. Copyright © 2026 LexisNexis. All Rights reserved. Introduction With the increasing prevalence of businesses adopting artificial intelligence (‘AI’) in recent years,[1] the Australian Government is undertaking reforms to support the safe and responsible development and deployment of automated decision […]

Full Federal Court holds formal agreements are needed in related party dealings

In private groups it is incredibly common for the parties to charge inter-entity management fees, or service fees.  There are many reasons why this is necessary, usually because there is different ownership between valuable assets (such as plant and equipment, intellectual property or a rent roll), and the public facing trading entity.  There are often sensible, asset protection reasons for the private groups separate entities between risk and value.

The ATO recently challenged one such arrangement for a real estate group, where asset holding trusts which held intellectual property and the rent roll charged service fees to the operating entities.

Infrastructure sharing as a tool to manage rising regulatory and financial pressures in Australia’s resources projects

With regulatory requirements tightening, costs continuing to climb, and commodity markets shifting rapidly, it’s no surprise we’re seeing more proponents look to infrastructure sharing as a practical, sustainable way to keep projects moving.

But as helpful as shared infrastructure can be, it also brings a stack of legal, commercial and operational considerations, from approvals and environmental obligations through to tax impacts, governance models and managing risk between multiple parties.
Our team has unpacked the key issues and what proponents should be thinking about when structuring these arrangements.

The Queensland Government Procurement Policy 2026 is here

Overview of QPP 2026 On 1 January 2026, the Queensland Procurement Policy 2026 (QPP 2026) commenced.  One of the key objectives of QPP 2026 is to simplify the procurement process and reduce the administrative burden and red tape involved in transacting with the Queensland government. Application of QPP 2026 QPP 2026 applies to ‘agencies,’ which […]