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News & Articles

Legal insights, industry updates and community news from the Spectrum team.

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Special Levies and Strata Finance: Funding Construction Works in Owners Corporations Owners Corporations

Special Levies and Strata Finance: Funding Construction Works in Owners Corporations

Special levies and strata finance are the two main ways OCs fund major works. Understanding the legal framework - and communicating clearly with owners - is critical to getting projects done.

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Where Do Unpaid OC Levies Get Recovered Now? The Magistrates’ Court is No Longer the Answer Owners Corporations

Where Do Unpaid OC Levies Get Recovered Now? The Magistrates’ Court is No Longer the Answer

A series of 2024–2025 decisions confirms the Magistrates’ Court can no longer hear OC levy recovery claims - they must now be brought in VCAT. What owners corporations and managers need to do now.

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Who Should Sign the Contract? Owners Corporations vs Lot Owners and Repair Responsibilities in Victoria Owners Corporations

Who Should Sign the Contract? Owners Corporations vs Lot Owners and Repair Responsibilities in Victoria

When a repair is needed in a strata building, should the contract be in the name of the Owners Corporation or the individual lot owner? Getting it right affects liability, insurance and GST.

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Navigating the Role of Owners Corporations in Building Defects and Maintenance Owners Corporations

Navigating the Role of Owners Corporations in Building Defects and Maintenance

Owners Corporations face complex statutory duties, funding challenges and recovery options when building defects arise. A practical guide to responsibilities, cladding, and funding rectification.

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Family Law 4 Kids: A Step Toward Meaningful Child Participation in Family Law

Family Law 4 Kids: A Step Toward Meaningful Child Participation in Family Law

Child Participation in Family Law

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When Does Building Insurance Really Protect You? A Court of Appeal decision raises an uncomfortable question for homeowners, builders and purchasers.

When Does Building Insurance Really Protect You? A Court of Appeal decision raises an uncomfortable question for homeowners, builders and purchasers.

Imagine purchasing what appears to be a well-built home. The property looks immaculate. The tiles are flawless, the walls freshly painted, and the roofline perf

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A New School Year Through the Eyes ofDonna; a Parent of Child with Autism

A New School Year Through the Eyes ofDonna; a Parent of Child with Autism

For many children the start of a new school year is filled with excitement – new stationery, new friends, new teachers and new opportunities. However, for a par

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Critical Lessons for Builders from the Crema v Malvern Principal Case on the Question of Performance Security and Liquidated Damages Building & Construction

Critical Lessons for Builders from the Crema v Malvern Principal Case on the Question of Performance Security and Liquidated Damages

In a recent Tribunal decision, Crema Constructions Pty Ltd v Malvern Project Developments Pty Ltd and Ors (Building and Property) [2026] VCAT 49, Deputy Preside

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Ordinary vs Special Resolutions: Why the Difference Matters Under the Owners Corporation Act Owners Corporations

Ordinary vs Special Resolutions: Why the Difference Matters Under the Owners Corporation Act

Resolutions are the mechanism through which an owners corporation makes decisions, but not all resolutions carry the same legal weight. One of the most common s

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Why I, a Lawyer, Decided to Become an Accredited Mediator

Why I, a Lawyer, Decided to Become an Accredited Mediator

As a practising lawyer, my career has been dedicated to advocating for clients, navigating complex legal frameworks, and achieving outcomes within the often-rig

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Why Off-Site Constructions Need On-Point Legal Drafting Building & Construction

Why Off-Site Constructions Need On-Point Legal Drafting

As we begin 2026, the Victorian residential landscape is shifting. Under the Victorian Housing Statement, the State Government has set an ambitious target of 80

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Busting the Myth: The Government Doesn’t Take Your Estate if You Die Intestate

Busting the Myth: The Government Doesn’t Take Your Estate if You Die Intestate

One of the most common myths we encounter is the belief that the government will automatically take the entire estate of a person who passes away without a Will

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Case Note: Owners Corporation 1 Plan No PS630504G v J & GKnowles and Associates Pty Ltd [2025] VCAT 967 Owners Corporations

Case Note: Owners Corporation 1 Plan No PS630504G v J & GKnowles and Associates Pty Ltd [2025] VCAT 967

The 2025 VCAT decision in Owners Corporation 1 Plan No PS630504G v J & G Knowles and Associates Pty Ltd [2025] VCAT 967 provided essential clarification on the

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A Milestone Worth Celebrating: A Mother’s Journey with Her Son on the Spectrum

A Milestone Worth Celebrating: A Mother’s Journey with Her Son on the Spectrum

There are moments in every parent’s life that take your breath away not because they’re grand or extraordinary, but because they remind you just how far your ch

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Reforms to the Building Legislation Amendment (Fairer Payments on Jobsites and Other Matters) Bill 2025

Reforms to the Building Legislation Amendment (Fairer Payments on Jobsites and Other Matters) Bill 2025

The Victorian Government introduced the Building Legislation Amendment (Fairer Payments on Jobsites and Other Matters) Bill 2025 (the Bill) on 11 September 2025

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Owners Corporation Debt Recovery: What HappensIf Fees Go Unpaid Owners Corporations

Owners Corporation Debt Recovery: What HappensIf Fees Go Unpaid

Apartment and townhouse living offers convenience, security and shared amenities but, it also requires every owner to contribute to the running costs of the bui

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Final Payment or Final Say – What Merkon v Residence Company Teaches Builders About Getting Paid Building & Construction

Final Payment or Final Say – What Merkon v Residence Company Teaches Builders About Getting Paid

The Supreme Court of Victoria recently handed down a decision that has big implications for builders chasing final payments and for developers relying on certif

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Strata Under Scrutiny: Victoria Launches a Major Review of Owners Corporation Laws

Strata Under Scrutiny: Victoria Launches a Major Review of Owners Corporation Laws

On 13 June 2025, the Victorian Government announced that it will conduct a wide ranging review of the Owners Corporations Act 2006 (Vic), setting the stage for

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Dealing with a Missing Beneficiary: Executor Responsibilities and the Use of a Benejamin Order in Victoria

Dealing with a Missing Beneficiary: Executor Responsibilities and the Use of a Benejamin Order in Victoria

Administering a deceased estate carries significant legal responsibilities, particularly for executors. Among these is the duty to locate and distribute the est

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Bringing Peace of Mind Closer to Home: Spectrum’s UpcomingJuly Roadshow Family Law

Bringing Peace of Mind Closer to Home: Spectrum’s UpcomingJuly Roadshow

At Spectrum Lawyers, we believe that truly supporting our clients means meeting them where they are. That’s why we’re excited to hit the road from this July 202

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What is the BPC and what effect does its establishment have on domestic building disputes?

What is the BPC and what effect does its establishment have on domestic building disputes?

The Building and Plumbing Commission (BPC) was established to consolidate the functions of the Victorian Building Authority (VBA), the Domestic Building Dispute

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Legal Precedents Shaping the Building Industry Building & Construction

Legal Precedents Shaping the Building Industry

The construction and building sector in Victoria is governed by stringent legal requirements designed to protect homeowners, developers, builders, and contracto

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Does a Conditional Occupancy Permit Mean You Have Not Achieved Completion? Building & Construction

Does a Conditional Occupancy Permit Mean You Have Not Achieved Completion?

Business Analysis of Troise v Blue Key Properties Pty Ltd (Building and Property) [2025] VCAT 9

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21 Years of Law, Life and Lessons - A Reflection by Donna

21 Years of Law, Life and Lessons - A Reflection by Donna

Twenty-one.

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Spectrum BK HIA Pres May 25 FINAL

Spectrum BK HIA Pres May 25 FINAL

View PDF

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Spectrum Speaks – Volume 14 Spectrum Speaks

Spectrum Speaks – Volume 14

Spectrum Lawyers and Spectrum Coach have joined forces to offer builders and contractors a comprehensive range of services, covering everything from sales and m

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A Time to Celebrate and Reflect Autism Awareness

A Time to Celebrate and Reflect

Last week, we celebrated the director’s son’s 10th birthday - double digits for Jayden! It’s hard to believe how quickly time has passed. This milestone was a per

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Family Violence & Parenting Orders – Case Note: Wells & Wells [2024] Family Law

Family Violence & Parenting Orders – Case Note: Wells & Wells [2024]

The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia often deals with complex and sensitive matters, particularly where allegations of family violence are involved

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Building Legislation Amendment (Buyer Protections) Bill 2025 Building & Construction

Building Legislation Amendment (Buyer Protections) Bill 2025

The Building Legislation Amendment (Buyer Protections) Bill 2025 introduces significant reforms to Victoria’s building industry, strengthening consumer protecti

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Reasonable and Necessary Rectification Costs Building & Construction

Reasonable and Necessary Rectification Costs

The case of Castellan v Icecorp Pty Ltd [2024] VCACT 1120 centres around a contractual dispute arising from a construction project involving two townhouses. The

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Understanding Domestic Violence Family Law

Understanding Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is a pervasive issue impacting countless individuals and families in Victoria. Beyond physical harm, it encompasses a range of abusive behavio

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Understanding the Changes to the Capital Gains Withholding Regime

Understanding the Changes to the Capital Gains Withholding Regime

On 1 January 2025, significant amendments to Australia’s Foreign Resident Capital Gains Withholding (FRCGW) regime came into effect. Designed to ensure the Aust

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Pets Aren't Property Family Law

Pets Aren't Property

On 29 November 2024, the Family Law Amendment Bill 2024 passed both houses.  This Bill, among other matters, introduced significant changes to the treatment of

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Building on Mistakes – Structural Defects Building & Construction

Building on Mistakes – Structural Defects

Key Lessons from Whitaker v F.P & H.S Keogh Pty Ltd

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Spectrum Speaks – Volume 13 Spectrum Speaks

Spectrum Speaks – Volume 13

Spectrum Lawyers and Spectrum Coach have joined forces to offer builders and contractors a comprehensive range of services, covering everything from sales and m

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Unfair Contract Terms in the Building Industry Building & Construction

Unfair Contract Terms in the Building Industry

Contracts are the administrative foundations of the building and construction industry. However, when contracts are skewed in favour of one party - often the more

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Understanding Domestic Building Contracts: Single Trade Works Building & Construction

Understanding Domestic Building Contracts: Single Trade Works

When planning a domestic building project, it’s important to understand the legal framework that governs these activities. Homeowners and builders alike can oft

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Fencing, Tree, and Adverse Possession Disputes: A Guide for Victorian Property Owners Building & Construction

Fencing, Tree, and Adverse Possession Disputes: A Guide for Victorian Property Owners

In Victoria, disputes between neighbours over shared boundaries are common and can escalate into complex legal conflicts. Issues involving fences, trees, and la

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Procedure for Issuing a Statutory Demand under the Corporations Act (Australia)

Procedure for Issuing a Statutory Demand under the Corporations Act (Australia)

A statutory demand is a formal request for payment of a debt from a company. It is a vital tool for creditors seeking to recover unpaid debts and is governed by

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Understanding the Divorce Process in Victoria: A Step-by-Step Guide Family Law

Understanding the Divorce Process in Victoria: A Step-by-Step Guide

Divorce can be an emotionally and legally overwhelming experience. However, by understanding the divorce process, you can help ease some of the uncertainty. Thi

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Changes to Probate Fees in Victoria

Changes to Probate Fees in Victoria

From 18 November 2024, probate fees in Victoria are set to rise, impacting many estates handled in the Supreme Court. This change follows a review by the Depart

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Changes to the Family Law Act Family Law

Changes to the Family Law Act

On 6 May 2024, come key changes to the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) came into effect. These changes centred around what a court must consider when determining what

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Making the Nevers Possible: A Journey with KultureCity and Autism Awareness Autism Awareness

Making the Nevers Possible: A Journey with KultureCity and Autism Awareness

I’ve always believed that everything happens for a reason. I know it sounds cliché, but it’s true. My journey with KultureCity is no different, and after recent

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Binding Financial Agreements – An Overview Family Law

Binding Financial Agreements – An Overview

Imagine, you and your partner or spouse have just separated and you want to come to an agreement as to the division of the assets of the relationship. Or you a

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Kulturecity at Your School Autism Awareness

Kulturecity at Your School

KultureCity first originated in the USA, and has been in Australia for a few years now. Its focus is on making the nevers possible for people with sensory needs

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Spectrum Speaks – Volume 12 Spectrum Speaks

Spectrum Speaks – Volume 12

Spectrum Lawyers and Spectrum Coach have joined forces to offer builders and contractors a comprehensive range of services, covering everything from sales and m

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Case Study: Termination of a Domestic Building Contract Building & Construction

Case Study: Termination of a Domestic Building Contract

The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) case of Mikhali v Soliman (Building and Property) [2024] VCAT 616 focuses on the entitlements of parties

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Retention Monies in Payment Claims: Insights from Hunters Green Retirement Living Pty Ltd v J.G. King Project Management Pty Ltd Building & Construction

Retention Monies in Payment Claims: Insights from Hunters Green Retirement Living Pty Ltd v J.G. King Project Management Pty Ltd

The case of Hunters Green Retirement Living Pty Ltd (‘the developer’) v. J.G. King Project Management Pty Ltd (‘the contractor’) [2023] VSC 536, brought to the

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Superannuation and Your Will: What You Need to Know

Superannuation and Your Will: What You Need to Know

Next to your family home, superannuation is often one of the largest assets you might own at the time of your passing. It is crucial to understand and consider

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Contractual Disputes: Lessons for Builders Building & Construction

Contractual Disputes: Lessons for Builders

In a recent case at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), Barbican Construction Group Pty Ltd (Barbican), a respected construction firm in Vic

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Expanding Access and Inclusion: KultureCity's Impact Autism Awareness

Expanding Access and Inclusion: KultureCity's Impact

As many of you know, I proudly serve as a board member of KultureCity Australia, and I'm thrilled to share that Spectrum Lawyers is the first law

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The return to school: Supporting students with invisible disabilities Autism Awareness

The return to school: Supporting students with invisible disabilities

The start of the year is always a busy time for families, particularly those with school-aged children. As we begin another school year, Spectrum Group's Direct

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Spectrum Speaks – Volume 11 Spectrum Speaks

Spectrum Speaks – Volume 11

Spectrum Lawyers and Spectrum Coach have joined forces offering builders and contractors the unique opportunity to receive a full spectrum of services from sale

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Builder insights: AMO Rifat Holdings Pty Ltd v Dib case Building & Construction

Builder insights: AMO Rifat Holdings Pty Ltd v Dib case

The recent VCAT decision in AMO Rifat Holdings Pty Ltd v Dib sheds light on key aspects of domestic building work, offering crucial insights for builders on sta

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Friend In Me – Nurture and Connect Retreat Autism Awareness

Friend In Me – Nurture and Connect Retreat

I recently had the privilege of being invited by Friend In Me to co-host their third Nurture and Connect Retreat alongside fellow board member, Nicole.

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The Importance of Experts in Construction Disputes Building & Construction

The Importance of Experts in Construction Disputes

When you find yourself involved in a VCAT dispute concerning home construction, whether you're the builder or the homeowner, the role of expert evidence cannot

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Have You Reviewed Your Procurement Contracts? Building & Construction

Have You Reviewed Your Procurement Contracts?

With the implementation of new regulations surrounding unfair contract terms, scheduled to take effect on November 10, 2023, it's a crucial time for businesses

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A Must-Have Guide on Managing Building Disputes Building & Construction

A Must-Have Guide on Managing Building Disputes

Building disputes, unfortunately, are not uncommon and can arise due to a multitude of reasons including defects, delays, variations, payments, or quality conce

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Understanding Your Rights Under the Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995 Building & Construction

Understanding Your Rights Under the Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995

The Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995 (Vic) – 'the Act' – stands as a crucial legal framework governing the obligations and prerequisites of both homeowners

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The Damp Dilemma: Water Ingress & Mould in Victorian Construction Building & Construction

The Damp Dilemma: Water Ingress & Mould in Victorian Construction

There are many challenges in the world of construction, but the persistent issue of water ingress and mould is causing huge problems, especially in the increasi

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Spectrum Speaks – Volume 10 Spectrum Speaks

Spectrum Speaks – Volume 10

Spectrum Lawyers and Spectrum Coach have joined forces offering builders and contractors the unique opportunity to receive a full spectrum of services from sale

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Are you a Porter Davis homeowner impacted by their colapse? Building & Construction

Are you a Porter Davis homeowner impacted by their colapse?

If you are one of the homeowners impacted by Porter Davis going into liquidation, you're probably wondering what you can do from here. Below are our 5 tips on h

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What is repudiation? Building & Construction

What is repudiation?

There are many complexities and challenges that can arise during construction projects. However, there is a critical aspect that often goes overlooked – underst

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Spectrum Speaks – Volume 9 Spectrum Speaks

Spectrum Speaks – Volume 9

Spectrum Lawyers and Spectrum Coach have joined forces offering builders and contractors the unique opportunity to receive a full spectrum of services from sale

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Becoming part of KultureCity Autism Awareness

Becoming part of KultureCity

To say becoming a mother to a child on the Spectrum, has changed my life would be a huge understatement. Every day, I encounter new challenges, but that also me

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Navigating Building Disputes: Get the Support You Need Building & Construction

Navigating Building Disputes: Get the Support You Need

Dealing with a building dispute can feel overwhelming, especially if you're not familiar with the legal complexities involved. In Victoria, specific laws and re

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Making the nevers possible Autism Awareness

Making the nevers possible

Did you know that 1 in 6 individuals have a sensory need or an invisible disability? These are individuals with PTSD, autism, dementia, strokes just to name a f

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Everything you need to know about trade marks Building & Construction

Everything you need to know about trade marks

A trade mark is your registered brand and is used to distinguish your business from other products and services. A trade mark can be a letter, number, word, phr

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Spectrum Speaks – Volume 7 Spectrum Speaks

Spectrum Speaks – Volume 7

Spectrum Lawyers and Spectrum Coach have joined forces offering builders and contractors the unique opportunity to receive a full spectrum of services from sale

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Spectrum Speaks – Volume 8 Spectrum Speaks

Spectrum Speaks – Volume 8

Spectrum Lawyers and Spectrum Coach have joined forces offering builders and contractors the unique opportunity to receive a full spectrum of services from sale

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Can a builder unilaterally end a contract due to increased labour and material costs? Building & Construction

Can a builder unilaterally end a contract due to increased labour and material costs?

In a recent hearing, Nichol and Anor v Keeble (Building and Property) [2022] VCAT 1449, the Tribunal considered the situation of where a builder abandoned the w

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Case Study – why statutory notice provisions matter Building & Construction

Case Study – why statutory notice provisions matter

If a Builder does not comply with the statutory requirements of a variation, is it still entitled to claim the variation monies and extension of time? In the re

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Do you have Procurement Contracts to protect your business? Building & Construction

Do you have Procurement Contracts to protect your business?

It’s no doubt that in recent times you’ve heard about the increases in construction materials and labour costs, which have affected all builders. The impact of

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Domestic Building Dispute Resolution Victoria (DBDRV) – the process explained Building & Construction

Domestic Building Dispute Resolution Victoria (DBDRV) – the process explained

With the various challenges associated with the construction industry at the moment, domestic building disputes are on the rise. These disputes generally involv

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Can a builder claim contribution from its subcontractor if works are defective? Building & Construction

Can a builder claim contribution from its subcontractor if works are defective?

In light of recent times and an incredibly tough market, we are seeing an increase in claims whereby the Builder seeks to join third parties (usually Contractor

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Inclusion in Sports Autism Awareness

Inclusion in Sports

When Jayden was just over two years old, he was diagnosed with Autism. Since then, our focus has been giving Jayden all the tools we can to help prepare him for

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Cost-plus v fixed price contracts Building & Construction

Cost-plus v fixed price contracts

A cost-plus contract price is not fixed, the builder only has to give the owner a reasonable estimate of the works, whereas a fixed price contract sets a specif

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Conveyancing – everything you need to know Building & Construction

Conveyancing – everything you need to know

When you are purchasing or selling a property you should engage a conveyancer (or lawyer practising in conveyancing transactions).

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VCAT delays and alternate dispute resolution options Building & Construction

VCAT delays and alternate dispute resolution options

Global supply chain issues and trade shortages are resulting in many homebuyers experiencing delays in the construction of their new homes. But the delays don’t

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Spectrum Speaks – Volume 6 Spectrum Speaks

Spectrum Speaks – Volume 6

Spectrum Lawyers and Spectrum Coach have joined forces offering builders and contractors the unique opportunity to receive a full spectrum of services from sale

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Autism Acceptance Month Autism Awareness

Autism Acceptance Month

April used to be known as Autism Awareness Month. But in 2021, the designation changed to Autism Acceptance Month. Although it’s only a small change to the name

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The importance of reviewing your contracts Building & Construction

The importance of reviewing your contracts

It is common for us to be asked to review a contract – whether it is a building contract, a consultancy contract, a contract of sale or a procurement contract –

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Case study – Ramirez v Sherridon Pty Ltd Building & Construction

Case study – Ramirez v Sherridon Pty Ltd

Recently we successfully brought a claim for a first-time homeowner against a Builder in a VCAT matter.

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Defective building works and seeking damages Building & Construction

Defective building works and seeking damages

In a recent VCAT decision (Miller & Anor v Pomphrey (Building and Property) [2022] VCAT 140), the Applicants (“the Owners”) issued proceedings in the Victorian

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Friend In Me – Family Day Autism Awareness

Friend In Me – Family Day

Friend in Me (FIM) is a registered Australian charity that promotes inclusion and acceptance in at risk and disadvantaged children through sensory friendly even

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Inclusion

Inclusion

With the start of another school year upon us, and sports and social activities resuming, we are filled with both excitement and fear. Excitement because our ki

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Goodbye 2021, hello 2022! Building & Construction

Goodbye 2021, hello 2022!

I know everyone is saying it, but 2021 certainly was an intense year!

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New year, new services! Building & Construction

New year, new services!

It’s funny how at the end of the year all you can think about is having a break, maybe going on a holiday and the fun the festive season will bring. However, it

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Are you ready for 2022? Building & Construction

Are you ready for 2022?

As we approach the end of the year, many people are counting down until the break – especially this year! As much as we all deserve a break and some downtime, t

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What is involved in Building Litigation at VCAT? Building & Construction

What is involved in Building Litigation at VCAT?

If you find yourself in the unfortunate position where you’re in a dispute with your builder or the owner of a property, you may be able to take your dispute to

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Spectrum Speaks – Volume 5 Spectrum Speaks

Spectrum Speaks – Volume 5

Spectrum Lawyers and Spectrum Coach have joined forces offering builders and contractors the unique opportunity to receive a full spectrum of services from sale

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Construction to re-open with heavy restrictions Building & Construction

Construction to re-open with heavy restrictions

The Victorian Government confirmed that the shutdown of the construction industry will end, and the construction sector can reopen on Tuesday 5 October 2021 wit

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Water damage – who is liable? Building & Construction

Water damage – who is liable?

Case study – Bhati v Pannu [2021] VCAT 946

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The Special Children’s Christmas Party Autism Awareness

The Special Children’s Christmas Party

The Special Children’s Christmas Parties are the biggest events of their kind in Australia for special needs children and their families, and this year Spectrum

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Calderbank offers Building & Construction

Calderbank offers

A Calderbank offer is a powerful tool in commercial litigation. It is the recognised practice of making a "without prejudice" offer but reserving the right to r

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Sports on the Spectrum Autism Awareness

Sports on the Spectrum

As a parent, there are many concerns around COVID and the welfare of our children. But one definite concern for me is that our kids can’t enjoy just being kids.

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Service of documents – what you need to know Building & Construction

Service of documents – what you need to know

Service of Documents

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A mandatory stay of proceedings to be heard in VCAT Building & Construction

A mandatory stay of proceedings to be heard in VCAT

Case study – Impresa Construction v Oxford Building [2021] VCC 1146

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Case Study – Algebra Tip Pty Ltd v D&M Group (Vic) Pty Building & Construction

Case Study – Algebra Tip Pty Ltd v D&M Group (Vic) Pty

This month we successfully represented our client in an interesting matter about whether a ‘rooming house’ is domestic building works within the meaning of the

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Why you should give a cup Autism Awareness

Why you should give a cup

Friend in Me is a registered Australian charity that promotes social inclusion and acceptance in children through sensory friendly events, workshops and online

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The “A” Word Autism Awareness

The “A” Word

It’s funny how sometimes we take life for granted. You get up in the morning and you just follow your usual routine because that’s life. But every now and then,

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The meaning of inclusion Autism Awareness

The meaning of inclusion

As a lot of you may already know, our son, Jayden has Autism. In our most recent newsletter, Spectrum Speaks Vol. 4, we looked at whether the reason we spread i

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Amendments to the Australian Consumer Law – Part 2 Building & Construction

Amendments to the Australian Consumer Law – Part 2

The Australian Consumer Law (ACL) includes national unfair contract terms laws covering standard form consumer and small business contracts, a national law guar

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Building works are practically complete, so what’s next? Building & Construction

Building works are practically complete, so what’s next?

Nothing is more satisfying than seeing Building Works coming together as a project nears practical completion. Sometimes though, Builders prematurely issue the

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Top 100 Women Building & Construction

Top 100 Women

People often ask me, “Why construction law?” and sometimes this is difficult to answer – as it was not an area I chose, rather it was an area that chose me. Whe

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Sensory profiling Autism Awareness

Sensory profiling

Last month we embarked on a new part of our journey through Autism. It was time to test Jayden’s sensory profiling. Jayden’s life, just like any child on the sp

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Spectrum Speaks – Volume 4 Spectrum Speaks

Spectrum Speaks – Volume 4

Spectrum Lawyers and Spectrum Coach have joined forces offering builders and contractors the unique opportunity to receive a full spectrum of services from sale

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Jayden’s first day of school Autism Awareness

Jayden’s first day of school

I can’t believe the day is here, Jayden’s first day of Prep!! I know many people say, “where has the time gone?” and it sounds like such a cliché – but WHERE HA

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Amendments to the Australian Consumer Law – Part 1 Building & Construction

Amendments to the Australian Consumer Law – Part 1

The Australian Consumer Law (ACL) sets out consumer rights that are called consumer guarantees. These include your rights to a repair, replacement or refund as

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The zones of emotional regulation Autism Awareness

The zones of emotional regulation

Recently, Seven News aired a story about a family with an autistic child, who received a letter in their letterbox from their neighbour complaining about noise.

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Building disputes and measuring damages Building & Construction

Building disputes and measuring damages

In building disputes, the question of how to appropriately measure damages is often a point of contention. The courts have considered this issue in this context

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But I didn’t intend for my promotion to be misleading Building & Construction

But I didn’t intend for my promotion to be misleading

Knowing your audience is critical when developing your marketing messages. Consider the knowledge levels of an investor purchasing his fifth property vs a first

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Did you hear that? Autism Awareness

Did you hear that?

As a mum of three children and an owner of a business, I don’t often have time to just sit and listen. But every now and then, I make a point to stop what I’m d

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Spectrum Speaks – Volume 3 Spectrum Speaks

Spectrum Speaks – Volume 3

Spectrum Lawyers and Spectrum Coach have joined forces offering builders and contractors the unique opportunity to receive a full spectrum of services from sale

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STAGE 4 RESTRICTIONS AND THE IMPACT ON THE BUILDING INDUSTRY Building & Construction

STAGE 4 RESTRICTIONS AND THE IMPACT ON THE BUILDING INDUSTRY

Whether you’re a builder, a tradesperson or operate a garden maintenance business, Stage Four restrictions in metropolitan Melbourne have had a huge impact on t

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2020… Adapting to the new norm. Building & Construction

2020… Adapting to the new norm.

I first opened the doors to Spectrum Lawyers in January 2018. Who could have known how much would happen in just a year and a half!

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Spectrum Speaks Spectrum Speaks

Spectrum Speaks

Spectrum Lawyers and Spectrum Coach have joined forces offering builders and contractors the unique opportunity to receive a full spectrum of services from sale

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COVID-19 – Stage 4 Construction Update Building & Construction

COVID-19 – Stage 4 Construction Update

The Government has now provided a Stage 4 Construction Guidance

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10 tips for preparing or amending your standard building contracts Building & Construction

10 tips for preparing or amending your standard building contracts

Builders often rely on pro-forma contracts as they are standard and easier. But because they are standard, they do not always cover everything, so a builder may

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What is Autism? by Bianca Vella Autism Awareness

What is Autism? by Bianca Vella

Have you ever thought about what autism is? Autism Spectrum Disorder, also known as ASD, is a disorder that can affect how someone can think, feel, communicate,

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Autism – a Grandparents' view Autism Awareness

Autism – a Grandparents' view

We are Donna’s parents, and the grandparents of her children, Alisha, Bianca, and Jayden. As grandparents, we always want what is best for our grandchildren, al

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You’ve got a Friend In Me Autism Awareness

You’ve got a Friend In Me

Many of us have not enjoyed living in “isolation” (although a few of us may have secretly enjoyed staying in pjs all day!). But although this feeling of isolati

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Prime Costs and Provisional Sums, why a lump sum allowance is not enough Building & Construction

Prime Costs and Provisional Sums, why a lump sum allowance is not enough

How often have you heard a builder or owner say, “We’ll just put in an allowance for that and figure it out later”? But what if you actually build the home and

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Protection Works Building & Construction

Protection Works

It’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of building your own home, and sometimes that means you can forget things like ensuring your works do not impact on

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Limitation periods in building actions Building & Construction

Limitation periods in building actions

Often there is confusion around the limitation period for building actions as there are some different periods for insurance – that is:

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Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Isolation Autism Awareness

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Isolation

Many families have had their children return to Term 2 this week in a way we never imaged… Remote learning. What an extraordinary effort by all our educators (a

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Are trees damaging your property? Building & Construction

Are trees damaging your property?

Some of my clients are presenting me with ‘defective building’ dispute cases, which at first glance are based on allegations of slab movement. This begs the que

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Autism. From a sister’s perspective. Autism Awareness

Autism. From a sister’s perspective.

My little brother Jayden is autistic. I love him with all my heart but being a sibling to an autistic child was hard at first. I didn’t like it when my brother

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Work-life-balance

Work-life-balance

People often say to me “You work for yourself, that must be easy?”

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Spectrum Speaks Spectrum Speaks

Spectrum Speaks

Spectrum Lawyers and Spectrum Coach have joined forces offering builders and contractors the unique opportunity to receive a full spectrum of services from sale

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A Spectrum of Possibilities Autism Awareness

A Spectrum of Possibilities

Life, just like business, can throw you challenges that you don’t expect. You can decide to run and hide or face them head on.  Donna Abu-Elias and Fred Abu-Eli

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Domestic builder disputes Building & Construction

Domestic builder disputes

Building a home can be a long and complicated process. Even though all parties usually go into things with the best intentions, it doesn’t always go smoothly.

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Why we're called Spectrum

Why we're called Spectrum

Work-life balance. A well-known term, but so difficult to achieve. Most people at some stage will go through the juggling act of work vs life priorities. Making

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Debt Recovery Building & Construction

Debt Recovery

Practical steps businesses can take to tighten their invoicing and payment processes, and what to weigh up before pursuing legal action to recover an unpaid debt.

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Being a lawyer

Being a lawyer

Recently I was asked by my daughter’s all-girls College to present to the Year 9 and Year 10 students on what it is really like to be a lawyer.

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Benefits of in-house legal Building & Construction

Benefits of in-house legal

Most people will say lawyers don’t understand business. And it’s true that a lawyer can’t step in and play the role of a CEO, a General Manager, or the people o

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Why Every Family Needs an Estate Plan Family Law

Why Every Family Needs an Estate Plan

Estate planning is not just for the wealthy. Every family should have a will, power of attorney, and medical treatment decision maker in place.

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Navigating Building Warranty and Insurance Claims Building & Construction

Navigating Building Warranty and Insurance Claims

What you need to know about building warranty periods, insurance requirements, and how to make a claim when defects are discovered in your new home.

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World Autism Awareness Day 2024 Autism Awareness

World Autism Awareness Day 2024

Spectrum Lawyers proudly supports autism awareness and inclusion. Our name reflects our commitment to the autism community and the importance of understanding and acceptance.

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Understanding Your Rights Under the Domestic Building Contract Building & Construction

Understanding Your Rights Under the Domestic Building Contract

A comprehensive guide to your rights and obligations under a domestic building contract in Victoria, including key clauses, variation processes, and dispute resolution options.

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Changes to Family Law Property Settlements in 2024 Family Law

Changes to Family Law Property Settlements in 2024

Recent changes to the Family Law Act and how they may affect your property settlement, including new approaches to superannuation splitting and disclosure requirements.

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