NSW Parliament passes WHS Digital Work System Duty
Key Takeaways The NSW Parliament has passed the Work Health and Safety Amendment (Digital Work Systems) Bill 2026. This is the first time that digital work systems have been directly addressed in Australian WHS Law. The reforms will largely commence on a yet-to-be-announced date or dates, to be appointed by proclamation. Digital work system is […]
Hamilton Locke advises on the landmark acquisition of Independent Reserve by IG Group
Hamilton Locke is delighted announce the completion of the acquisition of Independent Reserve, one of Australia’s leading cryptocurrency exchanges, by London Stock Exchange-listed IG Group Holdings plc on 30 January 2026 for an initial enterprise value of A$178 million. This transaction represents a significant milestone for Australia’s digital asset sector and demonstrates the growing maturity […]
Securing the smart grid: cybersecurity challenges in Australia’s distributed energy future
Part I: The digitised grid Introduction In recent years, Australia has become a world leader in distributed energy resources (DER) and consumer energy resources (CER)1, with many households and small businesses generating power through rooftop solar, battery storage and electric vehicles.2 At the same time, the growing number of connected devices has expanded the potential […]
Hamilton Locke advises UNSW Canberra on its cornerstone investment in an ACT based venture capital fund – ACTivate Capital L.P.
Hamilton Locke advised UNSW Canberra on its significant investment into the newly formed ACTivate Capital L.P. (the Fund), the first Early-Stage Venture Capital Limited Partnership backed by the ACT Government. UNSW Canberra joins the ACT Government and Epicorp Limited as the cornerstone investors in the Fund focused on supporting the Canberra start-up ecosystem. The establishment […]
Preparing for impact: Compliance under Australia’s Social Media Minimum Age Regime
Australia is introducing significant reforms to regulate social media access for children through an amendment to the Online Safety Act 2021 (Cth). The Social Media Minimum Age (SMMA) regime[1], will take effect from 10 December 2025 (the compliance date). From the compliance date, platforms classified as age-restricted social media platforms (ARSMPs) will be required to prevent users under the age of 16 years from […]
Facial recognition technology: Is there a path forward for the Australian retail sector?
The lawful use of facial recognition technology, particularly in a commercial retail setting, is increasingly challenging under Australian privacy law. Even where the primary purpose for deploying the technology is for crime or fraud prevention purposes, consent must be obtained (other than in limited circumstances), from all individuals who facial images are captured and used […]
Investing in Clean Tech: What Clean Tech Investors Really Care About
1. Introduction Australia is establishing itself as a clean tech hub, with exciting new ventures ranging from record breaking solar and battery projects to cutting-edge waste-to-energy solutions, carbon capture and pioneering sustainable aviation fuel initiatives that turn sugarcane waste into jet fuel. The growth in the clean tech space has been driven by accelerating investment […]
Solar panel end-of-life management: managing stewardship obligations
Australia’s first wave of utility scale solar farms will reach end-of-life within the next decade, creating significant decommissioning and recycling opportunities. As the need for decommissioning renewable projects increase, so does the regulatory scrutiny on end-of-life management. Additionally, whilst historically managed under voluntary schemes and private investment, these are likely to be insufficient to support […]
Are you providing digital assets financial services unlicensed? Act now!
ASIC has long held the view that many digital assets businesses are already providing financial services without an AFS licence. That position was confirmed in INFO Sheet 225, but ASIC has also issued a class no action letter to help provide a pathway to licensing for digital asset businesses that currently need to hold an: […]
Reducing risk, boosting scale: the role of robotics in renewable energy projects
The increasing use of robotics in renewable energy construction and infrastructure reflects a broader global trend that is driven by rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and automation.[1] As AI continues to evolve, the use of robotics and maximising automation has shifted from a productivity-enhancing convenience to a strategic necessity in Australia’s clean energy […]
The AI energy crisis: When innovation outpaces infrastructure
The growth of artificial intelligence (AI) is driving profound transformation in global data infrastructure and energy demand. The integration of AI into a range of commercial and industrial products, from refrigerators to virtual assistants, is placing mounting pressure on both domestic and foreign energy networks. With global data centre demand projected to surge 165% by […]
ASIC’s digital assets no action position – but wait, there’s a catch…
ASIC has pivoted and finally actioned the digital asset industry’s request for certainty and a safe transition path to regulation. This is particularly important for some of the most contested digital asset services, which ASIC considers are already being provided unlicensed by providers – stablecoins and wrapped tokens. ASIC has done this by: Publishing a […]
