Information for the legal profession on
COVID-19 outbreak
We will continue to monitor and update the legal profession with the latest news regarding COVID-19.
Updates from the Family Court and
Federal Circuit Court
The Courts have released a new joint practice direction in relation to COVID-19.
Joint Practice Direction 3 of 2020 - The COVID-19 List
The Courts have a dedicated page for all COVID-19 related information for the profession at the following:
Updates from the Federal Court
In efforts to address challenges that have resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Guide to Good Practice on the Use of Video-Link under the Evidence Convention will be made available to the public at no charge on the HCCH website.
A link to the guide is available here.
You can also read the latest updates from the Federal Court here.
Extension of deadlines under the Modern Slavery Act
The government has extended reporting deadlines for entities required to comply with the Modern Slavery Act 2018.
The three-month deadline extension applies to all reporting entities under the Act operating on reporting periods that end on or before 30 June 2020. Read more.
COVIDSafe app
The government has released the COVIDSafe app to speed up contacting people exposed to the virus. More information is available here.
Coronavirus app and Whatsapp channel
The Australian Government has also released a Coronavirus app and Whatsapp channel. The app is available on both Android and iPhones. To access the Whatsapp channel, you can go to the website.
Generally for more information on Coronavirus and the government’s response, please visit: www.treasury.gov.au/coronavirus or www.australia.gov.au.
Australian Taxation Office (ATO) Support
The ATO has set up an Emergency Support Infoline - 1800 806 218.
Jobs Hub website
The Federal Government has launched a site – Jobs Hub – which lists all available jobs on the internet, in a bid to help Australians out of work because of coronavirus. Read more.
