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.
Preparing to go back to work
There are several things that the government is suggesting, as Australia moves to get back to work. These include:
- Prepare comprehensive plans so employees and customers know what to expect both in undertaking daily business but also in the event of a COVID-19 related incident or outbreak.
- Develop workplace and business models to prevent the spread of COVID-19 which incorporate measures such as physical distancing or barriers and hygiene as appropriate depending on the nature of your business operations.
- Prepare plans to respond in the event of an incident involving an infected employee or customer including testing and isolation measures (as well as support for and information flow to employees and their families).
- Prepare plans and protocols to recover after incidents including cleaning and testing the workplace.
Visit the Safe Work Australia website for guidance material on operating in a COVID-19 safe manner safeworkaustralia.gov.au, where you will find industry-specific guidance, as well as links to the relevant work health and safety authority in your jurisdiction.
Australasian Law Management Journal
See the latest edition of the Australasian Law Management Journal which features the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on law firms. Read more.
Updates from the Family Court and
Federal Circuit Court
Federal Circuit Court of Australia has launched a remodelled website homepage.
While the content of the website has not changed, the layout of the homepage is now more effective and has been restructured with direct links to the Court’s three main areas of filing: family law, migration law and general federal law.
The Courts have established a court list dedicated to deal exclusively with urgent parenting-related disputes that have arisen due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more.
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.
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
Learn about the ACCC 2020 compliance and enforcement priorities, and how Australia’s consumer watchdog plans to navigate the economic disruption caused by COVID-19 by attending a complementary seminar. Read more.
ATO Support for People Affected by COVID-19
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is implementing a range of COVID-19 support measures for businesses and employers and for individuals and employees as part of the Government’s economic support package.
The ATO has also implemented a range of additional relief options and support for those who may need further assistance during this difficult time.
The latest information relating to JobKeeper enrolments and payments is available on the ATO website.
Below are links to key contact information that may assist you:
- ATO Community – Available 24/7 with questions, answers and regular updates
- Making a tip-off – To report any known or suspected illegal behaviour
- Verify or report a scam – If your constituent thinks they have been contacted by a scammer or are suspicious about an email or SMS
- Call centre – With information about our extended hours of operation
- COVID-19 language help – For those who may need assistance in another language
- JobKeeper Payment language help – Website information on JobKeeper in other languages
- JobKeeper – Information for employees
- People with disability – Includes support services available for everyone in the community
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.
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.
