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.
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.
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.
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.
