Property lawyers naturally focus on the transaction right in front of them. However, revenue authorities frequently look at the transaction that came before it. When advising on a stamp duty exemption or concession, considering the current transaction in isolation is a high-risk approach. You must always investigate the historical transactions upon which the present exemption...
In the rapidly evolving landscape of AML/CTF compliance, a visual decision tree is often a practitioner’s best friend. It simplifies complex legislative requirements into actionable steps. However, as our recent internal audit in June 2026 highlighted, even the most intuitive diagrams require constant refinement to stay aligned with the latest AUSTRAC guidance and the...
For decades, the Australian "Great Dream" of home ownership has slowly transformed into a complex national crisis. While politicians of all stripes regularly offer "solutions," independent economist Saul Eslake argues that the reason the problem persists is far more cynical than a lack of policy ideas. The reality, as Eslake suggests in a recent interview,...
Recent data from the State Revenue Office (SRO) of Victoria signals a hardening regulatory environment for first home buyers. As the SRO increases its scrutiny of support schemes, a growing number of purchasers are finding themselves on the wrong side of strict eligibility and residency requirements, facing significant financial exposure. For property purchasers, the takeaway...
Helping a child buy their first home is one of the most generous things a parent can do. Across Australia, the so-called "Bank of Mum and Dad" is now one of the largest informal lenders in the property market — and in Victoria, where median house prices remain well above the reach of most first-time...
Hayton Kosky Lawyers | Commercial Property Update Brett Hayton | May 2026 Victoria is in the middle of the most significant reform to commercial property taxation in a generation. Since 1 July 2024, the stamp duty regime that has applied to every transfer of commercial and industrial property has begun its phased abolition — replaced...
Published by Hayton Kosky Lawyers | Property & Taxation | May 2026 You did not leave the property vacant on purpose. Perhaps you inherited it and the estate took longer to administer than expected. Perhaps you moved interstate for work and could not find a suitable tenant. Perhaps the property needed repairs and the tradesperson...
Vacant Residential Land Tax in Victoria – The SRO’s “Data Model”: How the Tax Is Really Enforced In a previous post, I explored how Vacant Residential Land Tax (VRLT) operates under the Land Tax Act 2005 (Vic)—particularly the statutory concepts of “residential land” and “vacancy”. This follow-up focuses on something practitioners increasingly encounter in...
By Brett Hayton | Hayton Kosky — Property, Commercial & Estate Planning Lawyers, Bentleigh Stamp duty, formally known as land transfer duty, represents one of the most significant transaction costs when purchasing property in Victoria. For instance, a property purchased at $800,000 can incur duty exceeding $43,000 at the standard rate. However, a surprisingly large number of property...
By Hayton Kosky Lawyers | Property Law & Conveyancing, Bentleigh Victoria The idea of selling your own home — pocketing the commission, managing the process on your own terms — has never been more accessible. With online listing platforms, AI writing tools, and a wealth of freely available information, more Australian homeowners are asking the...
