MinterEllison

The Australian Government has just released two publications to guide the development and deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) in Australia: the Proposed Guardrails for the Mandatory Use of AI in High-Risk Settings and the Voluntary AI Safety Standard. These publications clarify the Government's direction for AI regulation in Australia and offer guidance for organisations seeking to implement responsible AI practices. We explore the key aspects of the proposed guardrails for high-risk AI, where they complement existing requirements under legislation, the Voluntary AI Safety Standard and the implications for Australian organisations. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gt2ABZg2

MinterEllison was delighted to collaborate with the BFSLA Future Leaders Committee to host the exclusive Leadership Panel Discussion "How to be a Leader? Let's ask the Leaders!" We had the honour of hosting the engaging event, where distinguished leaders, Scott Barlow (Chairman of Sydney FC), Virginia Briggs (CEO and Managing Partner of MinterEllison), Paul Dunstan (Detective Superintendent, NSW Police), Dr. Jan Hendrik Voss (President of Ferrari Australasia) and Richard Wagner (CEO and Co-Head of Investment Banking at Morgan Stanley), shared their experiences and perspectives on being leaders in today's society. The Panel was organised and moderated by our very own Rossana Bellina, Special counsel at MinterEllison and member of two committees within the BFSLA. The event provided many opportunities to gain insights from top leaders across various industries and foster collaboration within the MinterEllison and BFSLA communities. We would like to extend a very special thank you to our panellists for being a part of this discussion and sharing your collective wisdom on leadership. The exchange of ideas, insights, advice, and experience was truly inspirational.

MinterEllison co-hosted an exclusive Queensland Renewable Energy Council (QREC) briefing session, bringing together leaders and experts to discuss evolving renewable energy developments in Queensland. We thank Katie-Anne Mulder and the QREC team for the opportunity to be involved and thank the speakers Gerard Coggan, Leanne Caelers and Steve Conners for the insightful conversations. Learn more about the Renewable Energy team and how we can help https://lnkd.in/gRqxMRsV

We had the privilege of hosting the APLMA (Asia Pacific Loan Market Association)'s banking and finance market update last week, focusing on leveraged finance transactions and private credit in the Australian market. Leading Banking and Finance Partner Geoff Earl moderated the evening's panel discussion. Geoff was joined by industry and other experts to provide practical and commercial insights into current trends in domestic and international debt markets, the increasing role of private credit in leveraged finance transactions and predictions for the future. We were honoured to have hosted this market update, and we look forward to continuing to work with the Asia Pacific Loan Market Association and its members.

The government has released much anticipated details of the proposed merger notification thresholds that will apply as part of sweeping reforms to Australia's merger control regime, including monetary and market concentration thresholds, and a proposed waiver mechanism.    Once the reforms pass parliament, attention will turn to key ACCC guidance materials that will underpin the new regime, and transitional arrangements that will take effect later in 2025.    Read the update https://lnkd.in/g-jmvAB7

The long-running and keenly observed damages dispute between the Commonwealth and Sanofi will come to a head before the High Court in Melbourne on Wednesday and Thursday this week. The High Court appeal follows the Full Federal Court's decision in June 2023 dismissing the Commonwealth's claim for compensation under Sanofi's damages undertaking. In addition to assessing the Commonwealth's evidentiary burden and deciding whether its losses 'flowed directly' from the injunction, the High Court will likely consider additional legal and policy questions that will impact future pharmaceutical patent disputes. See our update for more details: https://lnkd.in/gCVeY9yS

Now the mandatory climate reporting bill has been passed by the Senate, what will mandatory climate reporting mean for companies with explicit emissions targets in Australia?    We unpack Air New Zealand's recent decision to walk back on an ambitious explicit emissions target and the critical roles of regulators and businesses in ensuring reporting leads to the desired improvements for the planet.     Read our analysis: https://lnkd.in/g38yK5Zc

The Consumer Data Right (CDR) is a government reform designed as an 'opt-in' service to give Australian consumers greater choice and control over how and with whom their data is shared.      Treasury has initiated a public consultation on proposed amendments to the Consumer Data Right Rules.  The proposed amendments mainly seek to simplify the rules, and to improve the adoption of the CDR regime.  We will continue to monitor this development and provide timely updates. In the meantime, if you wish to make a comment, submissions close at midnight AEST on 9 September 2024. Find out more here: https://lnkd.in/gDBWBeEP

M&A/Capital Markets Partner and Korea Practice Leader Tom Shon, along with Managing Partner - International Brendan Clark, this week attended the grand opening of Hanwha Defence Australia's Hanwha Armoured Vehicle Centre of Excellence (H-ACE), a state-of-the-art facility in Victoria for high-tech armoured vehicle manufacturing. The H-ACE will produce Self-Propelled Howitzers, Armoured Ammunition Resupply Vehicles (Stage 1), and Infantry Fighting Vehicles (Stage 2) for the Australian Army. They were joined by notable delegates Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, the Hon. Richard Marles MP, Chief of Army LTGEN Simon Stuart, Minister of South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration, Mr. Seok Jong-gun, and His Excellency Mr Seungseob Sim, South Korea’s Ambassador to Australia. Led by Tom Shon and Project, Infrastructure & Construction Partner Ben Fuller, MinterEllison is proud to have advised on all aspects of Stage 1 of the H-ACE project, and is now advising on Stage 2. The completion of H-ACE marks a significant milestone in Australia-Korea relations, boosting Australia's defence capabilities and providing new opportunities for the Australian defence industry and regional allies in the Indo-Pacific.

Today is Wear It Purple Day! Across our Australian offices, we're donning purple hues to show our support for young people in the LGBTQ community, celebrating their right to pride in their identity. Our Pride Network at MinterEllison (PRIME) leads the charge, advocating tirelessly for inclusion and nurturing a culture where everyone feels they belong. This year is extra meaningful as we embark on a new journey as pro bono supporters with Wear it Purple, reinforcing our commitment to championing diversity and inclusion. Whilst we celebrate the purple today, we're about rainbow every day. Thanks to PRIME's dedication, we're honoured to support events like Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and have achieved Platinum Employer status in the Australian Workplace Equality Index. #WearItPurpleDay #InclusionMatters 🌈🏳️🌈