Australia generally welcomes foreign investment. The Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) screens certain foreign investment proposals on a case-by-case basis to determine whether a particular proposal is contrary to the national interest. This brochure explains some of the rules governing the screening process through FIRB.

Often, a foreign investor must seek the Australian Treasurer’s approval to directly or indirectly invest in Australia. The application is made to the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB), which will consult with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) on the tax impact of the investment. In this insight, our tax experts discuss the tax conditions that are imposed by the ATO. 

There is a strategic imperative for Australia to increase its engagement with Africa, and thereby protect and grow investment and trade opportunities with a continent that will have a market of 2.5 billion by mid-century.  Failure to do so will increasingly see Australia lose its fair share of these opportunities to competitor countries like China.  This paper, delivered at the recent Africa Down Under Conference, explores a relatively low cost way of doing this.

In this insight, we summarise the new laws and take a closer look at how the reforms affect particular types of transactions. We also provide some practical tips for drafting and managing contracts affected by the new laws.

This reports aims to take a global stocktake of key markets in how they deal with IoT privacy and security issues. 

The European Union’s (EU) General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) – the most significant overhaul of Europe’s data protection laws in recent memory – will come into force on 25 May 2018. From that date, any organisation to which the GDPR applies will need to ensure that all of its relevant data processing practices (including those ongoing under pre-existing arrangements) are compliant with its provisions. 

Gilbert + Tobin has released the 2018 edition of its Takeovers + Schemes Review, which examines 2017's public company M&A transactions valued over $50 million and provides our perspective on recent trends and what that might mean for 2018.

After a long and difficult history, on 6 March 2018, Timor-Leste and Australia signed their new Treaty Establishing Maritime Boundaries in the Timor Sea. The treaty delimits, for the first time, the permanent maritime boundaries in the Timor Sea between Timor-Leste and Australia, and establishes a special regime for the development of the Greater Sunrise gas fields.

By 2031, more than 30 million will call Australia home, and with this forecasted population increase comes significant infrastructure demands. Australia’s infrastructure projects have traditionally been funded via bank or government balance sheets, but this is all set to change.

The mining industry today faces multiple challenges, including a volatile global economy, a turbulent energy sector, and the impending exhaustion of commercially viable ore bodies. However, today’s technology also promises multiple opportunities for mining companies eager to meet these challenges head on and reimagine themselves in a digital age. Indeed, industry leaders are already forging ahead, combining information technology advances with a focus on new operational technologies.

In January this year, as the Australian policy debate was starting to heat up, two senior members of Gilbert + Tobin’s energy regulation team, Simon Muys and Geoff Petersen, headed to colder climes for a two-week study tour. This paper includes a selection of our key insights, drawing on what Simon and Geoff saw and heard during their tour.

In light of the recent changes to investment laws in Africa, this paper discusses the critical importance of building genuine relationships in order to successfully navigate the complex social, political and cultural contexts of international markets and protect your investment.