Corporations Point-in-Time Service Updates

The Corporations Service has been updated to include the Federal Court Legislation Amendment Rules 2024 (Cth), the Attorney-General’s Portfolio Miscellaneous Measures Act 2024 (Cth) (Act No. 41 of 2024), and the Treasury Laws Amendment (Professional Standards Schemes) Regulations 2024 (Cth).

Federal Court Legislation Amendment Rules 2024

The Rules make minor and procedural amendments to various Federal Court rules including the Federal Court Rules 2011. The amendments aim to ensure the right to a fair and timely trial and also:

• ensure an effective application process in relation to allegations of sexual harassment under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth);
• extend, consolidate and clarify the powers that registrars may exercise pursuant to a direction of the Chief Justice or a Judge of the Court;
• improve existing mechanisms for applications under the Trans-Tasman Proceedings Act 2010 (Cth), service outside Australia, and for proceedings under the Patents Act 1990 (Cth) and the Trade Marks Act 1995 (Cth);
• provide for an increase in the costs allowable for work done and services performed consistent with the recommendations of the 16th Report of the Joint Cost Advisory Committee, effectively increasing the costs recoverable by a successful party.

Act 41 of 2024

This Act is an omnibus Act which amends various pieces of legislation in the Attorney-General's portfolio, including the Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 (Cth), the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), the Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth), and the Marriage Act 1961 (Cth). The purpose of this Act is to:

• confer jurisdiction on the Federal Court of Australia to hear and determine a range of summary and indictable offences relating to conduct within the regulatory remit of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission;
• enable the Sheriff of the Federal Court to request a State/Territory jury official to prepare and provide a jury panel for use by the Federal Court;
• make minor amendments to the Marriage Act 1961 (Cth) to clarify and improve the operation of the Commonwealth Marriage Celebrants Program and provide greater accessibility for marrying couples; and
• make minor and technical amendments to update, clarify and improve the intended operation of other legislation administered by the Attorney-General’s portfolio.

Treasury Laws Amendment (Professional Standards Schemes) Regulations 2024

The Regulations amend the Corporations Regulations 2001, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission Regulations 2001 and the Competition and Consumer Regulations 2010 to update professional standards schemes that are being extended with references to the extension period. The schemes being extended are the Victorian Bar Professional Standards Scheme, the CPA Australia Ltd Professional Standards (Accountants) Scheme, and the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand Professional Standards Scheme. The Regulations also include a remade professional standards scheme titled the Law Society of Western Australia Professional Standards Scheme. 

These amendments have been updated in the Point-in-Time Corporations Service current to 27 June 2024. (NB: subscription required).

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