Purchasing a property is one of the most important legal and financial commitments you will make. But not all contracts are what they seem. At Hayton Kosky, we are increasingly concerned by the rise of non-standard, buyer-unfriendly contracts being issued by some conveyancing practitioners. These contracts often appear to follow the standard form developed by...
After nearly 50 years, Penhalluriack’s hardware store in Caulfield (Pens), a true Melbourne institution, is on the market. This isn’t just any hardware store; it’s the legacy of Frank Penhalluriack, the man who single-handedly brought seven-day trading to Victoria, forever changing the retail landscape. Penhalluriack’s journey began close to five decades ago when a trip...
Victoria’s urban landscape is continually evolving, driven by population growth and the imperative for sustainable development. A cornerstone of this growth management is the Public Open Space (POS) levy, a critical mechanism ensuring that new developments contribute to the provision of essential community infrastructure. For property developers, understanding the legislative intricacies of this levy is...
In Victoria, a segment of property developers—particularly those engaged in build-to-rent (BTR) schemes—are taking advantage of legal frameworks to sidestep certain state and local tax obligations. While not inherently unlawful, these strategies highlight gaps in legislation that municipalities and the State Revenue Office (SRO) are now scrutinizing. Avoiding the Public Open Space Levy Ordinarily, developers...
Overview The Emergency Services and Volunteer Fund (ESVF) is a new property tax that will replace the existing Fire Services Property Levy (FSPL) in Victoria starting July 1, 2025. The Victorian Parliament passed the legislation last week, and it represents a significant increase in property taxes for Victorian landowners. Background and Implementation The ESVF replaces...
Starting 1 July 2026, law firms in Victoria, along with other professionals such as accountants, conveyancers, and real estate agents, will be brought into the scope of Australia’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CTF) regime. This marks a significant shift as legal services become subject to obligations under AUSTRAC’s regulatory framework. Key Obligations Lawyers providing...
The Victorian Government’s decision to apply universal $300 electricity bill relief to every residential account — regardless of income, wealth, or need — is not just economically reckless, it’s legally unjustifiable. In a state facing record debt exceeding $180 billion, doling out public money to well-off households with rooftop solar and negligible bills amounts to...
Recent headlines surrounding John Pesutto’s legal battle highlight critical lessons about defamation in the public sphere. Two key takeaways stand out starkly: avoid labeling someone a “neo-nazi” and refrain from calling them a “liar.” Both accusations carry significant weight and can have severe legal repercussions. The case underscores that even in the heat of political...
For decades, successive Victorian governments have engaged in a massive sell-off of public assets, promising economic efficiency and debt reduction. Yet today, Victoria faces the paradoxical reality of both depleted public ownership and unsustainable debt levels, all while maintaining Australia’s most punitive tax regime. The Privatisation Paradox Since the 1990s, Victoria has led Australia in...
When the Federal Government introduced the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in 2000, it came with a promise: the new consumption tax would replace a raft of inefficient state taxes, creating a more streamlined taxation system across Australia. The GST was meant to provide states with a stable revenue source while allowing them to eliminate...
