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Notifiable Event reporting - on time, every time

Editor’s Note: This article was updated in October 2021

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Solving the legal compliance puzzle – we can help

One of the most challenging aspects of compliance can be figuring out what and how legal obligations apply to your role. You might be familiar with Acts that apply specifically to your disciplinary area or research expertise, but less familiar with the broad range of State or Commonwealth Acts that apply to the whole of the University.

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From undue influence to foreign interference - some integrity obligations you should know not to ignore

In the day to day pursuit of University objectives, there are some obligations that may be more difficult to recognise and will require additional vigilance before the right decision can be made. This is because the right decision requires due consideration of broader legal and ethical contexts and awareness of the various (maybe competing) interests of those involved.

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New process for contractor management

Employers have many legal obligations associated with their workers such as Pay As You Go instalments, payroll tax, WorkCover and superannuation payments.  The Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) imposes penalties for employers who engage workers as contractors when they are really functioning as employees.

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Students have a lot to learn, but they are always right under Australian Consumer Law

Good service is often summed up by the phrase “the customer is always right”. The idea being that if you look after your customer, they will look after you - or at least, not give you a bad review.

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See a drone in your future? Future-proofing University RPAS operations

Futurists like to predict the many and varied uses of drones: drone taxis, first responder drones and drones that deliver are just a few anticipated applications. Drones, or remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS), provide an agile and relatively cheap way to get clever technology into the air and to where we need it quickly. For this reason, some characterise them as 'flying smartphones'.

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Who can sign? The lowdown on university delegations and decision-making

The appropriate person to authorise a contract or agreement on behalf of the University can vary depending on the contract's nature and value. It might be the head of your academic or administrative unit, or someone in a more senior position, specialist area or specific role – but they need to have a delegation.

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Loan thresholds set and capped: Changes to the Higher Education Loan Program from 2019

Legislative changes to the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) were agreed by the Australian Parliament on 14 August 2018. These changes will affect the amount students can borrow under the HELP loan scheme, and the way loans provided for Commonwealth supported students places are repaid across the working life of their recipients.

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They can say that again! Social media, defamation and you.

We all know that we are responsible for what we say on social media and we should always think before we post. But did you know that you could also be responsible for the comments made about someone that other users subsequently publish in response to your post?

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Want to work more efficiently? Record your “stuff” properly and regularly

We sometimes think of recordkeeping as an administrative task that is an addition to the core functions of our roles. You probably never think of it as a way to increase your efficiency….

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