Hunter Shafiz Lawyers in Merrylands, New South Wales, Australia | Lawyer & law firm

Hunter Shafiz Lawyers

Locality: Merrylands, New South Wales, Australia

Phone: +61 2 9682 5433

Address: 2/252 pitt street 2160 Merrylands, NSW, Australia

Website: http://www.huntershafiz.com.au

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23.01.2022 CHANGES TO JOBKEEPER AND JOBSEEKER PAYMENT SYSTEMS Starting today, JobKeeper and JobSeeker social security payments will be decreased. From 28 September 2020 to 3 January 2021: Full-time employees will receive $1,200/fortnight... Part-time employees will receive $750/fortnight. From 4 January to 28 March 2021: Full-time employees will receive $1,000/fortnight Part-time employees will receive $650/fortnight. Full time is considered as work over 20 hours per week and part time is considered work under 20 hours. The rates listed above are gross rates (before tax). Meanwhile, as of 25 September 2020, the assets and income will be assessed differently if you work, have a partner and their income, your savings will affect the waiting period. Like the JobKeeper, there will be a reduction to the baseline JobSeeker payment. For example, for a single person with no dependents payments decrease to $815.70 per fortnight. Reporting requirements are being reintroduced for those being provided with Job Seeker payments, and persons who are entitled to a combination of both Job Keeper and Job Seeker payments may also face reporting requirements, despite continuing to work. With the number of changes and possible combinations of various payment types and obligations, it is important to make sure you understand what your rights and entitlements may be.

22.01.2022 Dear Valued Clients, We're connected back - our phone line is up and running! Please call us on 02 9682 5433 to book an appointment!

19.01.2022 CONSIDERING AIRBNB FOR YOUR NEXT HOLIDAY? From 18 December 2020, a compulsory Code of Conduct ("Code") will be implemented to regulate the short-term leasing industry. This Code will ensure a minimum standard of good conduct and other obligations on booking platforms, hosts, leasing agents and guests. These include, but are not limited to, the following: Guests: - must keep noise levels down so as to not disrupt neighbours of the leased property;... - must not cause any damage to property, including any common property; and - will be responsible for the conduct of their visitors and ensure they comply with the behaviour guideline outlined in the Code. Hosts: - must hold insurance covering liability for third party injuries and death; - must allow their neighbours to contact them regarding concerns relating to the property, particularly between 8am and 5pm each day; and - must ensure the property is not leases to a guest who is recorded on the exclusion register. Booking platform and leasing agents: - must inform hosts and guests who use their services about the Code; and - must not facilitate or advertise the offering of property if the host or premises are recorded on the exclusion register. The NSW Fair Trading Commissioner will take disciplinary action through fines, warnings, or recording a host or guest on a register to dismiss them from the industry. If someone believes that the Code has been breached, they can make a complaint to the NSW Fair Trading.

18.01.2022 Return to Work From Monday 14 December 2020, the Public Health Order requiring employers to allow employees to work from home (where it is reasonably practicable to do so) will be repealed. As employees return to the office, workplaces are encouraged to have COVID-Safe plans. Employers are encouraged to stagger staff starting and finishing times to reduce the impact on public transport. Customers using public transport are strongly encouraged to wear a mask.

17.01.2022 HOME BUILDER LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK CHANGES By 21 March 2021, tradespeople/builders can apply the Security of Payment Act to owner-occupier residential construction contracts. In particular, tradespeople and builders will be able to issue payment claims to owner-occupiers in respect of progress payments. This is important as a failure of the home owner to serve a payment schedule within 10 days of the payment claim may disentitle an owner-occupier to be able to take litigatio...n against the builder. If you are a planning on entering a building contract to improve your property and are unsure of your rights, contact our office on (02) 9682 5433 for legal advice to assist you to make the right decision about your property.

17.01.2022 TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS & DELAYS IN VISA PROCESSING DUE TO COVID-19 Are you struggling to leave or return to Australia? Is your visa processing delayed? The uncertainty and disruption wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant changes to Australia’s migration policy. As a result, the Federal Government has introduced a general travel ban on people leaving Australia, and has imposed stricter requirements on those seeking to visit the county from overseas. There are e...xemptions that can be applied for that are outlined through this link: https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/leaving-australia and https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/travel-restrictions. You can call now for more information on 02 9682 5433. Please be mindful that lawyers and migration agents have to work within these legal and policy constraints, and that delays in visa processing and other immigration processes will often be due to factors outside of their control.

17.01.2022 LAW ABOUT RENTAL REDUCTIONS On 23 September 2020, the NSW Government announced that it would be extending rent relief measures for tenants in retail and commercial leases from 24 October 2020 to 31 December 2020. The measures largely continue the avenues of relief available to tenants under the initial measures the NSW Government introduced in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, with some important qualifications. First, tenants who were entitled to rent relief under the init...ial measures will need to demonstrate that they continue to be eligible for assistance under the Jobkeeper scheme. Secondly, tenants may also be eligible to be exempted from payments of certain outgoings and rates charges based on negotiations with their landlord, whereas previously outgoings and rates needed to be paid in full. Lastly, there is a legal expectation that landlords respond to tenant requests for negotiation within a reasonable time period, and lease negotiations not finalised by 31 December 2020 will be allowed to continue under the measures. If you are a retail or commercial tenant looking for assistance to negotiate payments under your lease with your landlord, or are a landlord with tenants wanting reductions, call our office on (02) 9682 5433 for further advice and representation.

16.01.2022 VISA EXTENSIONS FOR HONG KONG CITIZENS IN AUSTRALIA In a dramatic re-working of Australia’s migration system, people from Hong Kong who are in Australia on Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) or temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482 or 457) as at 9 July 2020 have had their visas extended for a further five years from this date. In addition, visa holders who meet the appropriate health, security and character checks will also be eligible to apply for permanent residency at the ...end of this five-year period. Meanwhile, those visa holders who choose to work in regional Australia will be able to apply for permanent residency after just three years. Despite these wide-ranging changes, it is important for all visa holders or prospective applicants to bear in mind that they will still need to meet Australian study requirements for the terms of their visas. If you are looking for further assistance or have questions about how these changes may affect you, contact Hunter Shafiz Lawyers on (02) 9682 5433 today.

16.01.2022 LATE APPLICATION TO THE AAT? In DFQ17 v MIPB [2019] FCAFC 64, the Full-Court of the Federal Court made a unanimous decision that may allow some applicants to apply to the AAT late. This case involved an applicant seeking review of a Departmental decision to refuse to grant them a Protection Visa. The applicant had been notified by mail of their right to apply for a review, but the time-period they had to apply was expressed unclearly and only the first page of the three page... notification was dated. The court found that the time period an applicant has to apply for review of a Department of Home Affairs need to be very clear about how much time an applicant has to apply for review, and the time period will not be considered to start if a notice is unclear. If you are unsure about your rights to apply out of time or late for review of a Department of Home Affairs visa refusal decision, or are looking for assistance with migration issues more generally, contact our office on (02) 9682 5433 to receive further guidance and counsel.

13.01.2022 ASSISTING COMMERCIAL CLIENTS TO RECOVER OUTSTANDING DEBTS THROUGH NEGOTIATION Recovering debts for invoices issued can be difficult for a business at the best of times, and this process has been made even more demanding because of the economic difficulties brought on in Australia by the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout May and June of 2020, when NSW was in the throes of severe restrictions that disrupted normal economic activity, Hunter Shafiz Lawyers acted for a commercial cli...ent attempting to recover over $30,000 in monies owed to it by a commercial partner. Through a combination of making formal demands for repayment of the money owed, as well as negotiations with the owing company and persistent follow-ups, Hunter Shafiz Lawyers was able to secure full repayment of the debt sum while avoiding the need and expense of escalating the matter to litigation. If you are a commercial party struggling to recover monies owed to you, call Hunter Shafiz Lawyers today and we will use our legal expertise and business acumen to secure the debts that are owed to you.

11.01.2022 POLICE POWERS-OF-ARREST In NSW, a person can be arrested by police if a court issues an arrest warrant in their name or if police reasonably suspect that they are committing, or about to commit an offence. While police do not have to believe that a person has committed a crime to arrest them, they must think there is more than just a possibility that they have committed, or are committing a crime. Otherwise, if a person is arrested and charged they can challenge the charges ...in court, or even sue the police. If you are experiencing difficulties as a result of a police arrest and are looking for legal assistance, please call our office on (02) 9682 5433 and schedule a consultation with one of our experienced criminal lawyers for guidance and advice.

09.01.2022 CHANGES TO PARTNER VISA REQUIREMENTS Beginning in late 2021, both permanent partner visa applicants and their sponsors will be required to either prove they have basic English language proficiency, or that they have undertaken extensive English language learning, in order to qualify for the visa. In the wake of this announcement, Prime Minister Scott Morrison clarified the relationship between these new requirements and the partner visa application process, stating that appli...cants ‘don’t have to pass the test before they come to Australia’, but that the overall process will require them to ‘make a reasonable effort to learn the language at a basic level’. This means that applicants will still be able to apply for provisional classes of partner visa and gain entry to Australia without satisfying English-language related criteria, but will be unable to apply for permanent visas unless they do so. If you have any questions or concerns about partner visas, migration issues or legal matters generally, please contact our office on (02) 9682 5433 today to arrange a consult with one of our experienced lawyers!

07.01.2022 Recently, as a Cumberland Local Business Awards finalist, staff from Hunter Shafiz Lawyers had the distinct privilege of being invited to attend an event put on by NOVA employment where the amazing talents and skills of the local community were on full show. NOVA has a history of taking the ‘dis’ out of (dis)ability and proudly showing that people should not be deterred by circumstances or societal biases from achieving their dreams and we salute them for their work!

07.01.2022 FUTURE OF PROXY MARRIAGES IN AUSTRALIA Trying to marry but not in the same country as you partner? Thinking of an online or proxy marriage because of physical distance? With travel restrictions and other issues forcing many Australians to remain in-country and preventing loved ones from overseas from coming to see them, proxy marriages conducted through one partner and the representative of another or online are becoming increasingly common. Fortunately for partner visa appli...cants, you may still be recognised as being in a valid marriage even if you have married your partner by proxy. Although proxy marriages are not ordinarily recognised as marriages in Australia, they can be for migration purposes in certain circumstances and not in all cases. If you looking to apply for a partner visa and have married by proxy or online or are planning on doing so, contact our office on (02) 9682 5433 for further legal advice.

06.01.2022 THE BANKS MAY NOT REDUCE YOUR RATE AUTOMATICALLY! On 3 November, the Reserve Bank of Australia announced that it has cut interest rates to an unprecedented low of 0.1%, marking a reduction of 0.15%. Some lenders will not pass on the reduction to its customers, BUT we recommend that you contact your bank and demand for a reduction! Many of our clients have taken this approach and been successful to reduce their rate by up to 1%. The banks want to make sure you do not take you...r loan to another lender and will ask you if you have looked at other banks and the rates that are on offer. Do some research before you call. If you would like us to speak to your bank on your behalf or are looking for further advice about your obligations under a mortgage more generally, contact our office on (02) 9682 5433 for guidance and assistance.

04.01.2022 We are a growing law firm in need of a reliable and proactive lawyer. You will work directly with our experienced lawyers to prepare for upcoming cases, get involved in fact-finding projects and be responsible for managing cases independently. Our caseload is growing and the ideal candidate for this position is organised, professional, responsible, and committed to helping us meet all of our clients’ needs. This role provides a high level of autonomy and will require you to m...anage files and advise clients on all aspects of law. You will be a natural communicator and excel at developing and maintaining stakeholder relationships. We offer quality and challenging work within a professional, collaborative and supportive environment. The Role: Court, Tribunal and/or departmental interview attendances Case assessment and strategic planning during advice sessions with clients Perform legal research, draft legal documents and draft quality affidavits Create report based on case specifications and lawyer requests and develop legal arguments, motions and other case filings Monitor recent court cases, laws, and regulations To be considered for this role, the candidate will have expert knowledge and demonstrated experience in one of the following areas: General litigation and dispute resolution Family Law Criminal law Property and Commercial work Immigration Law Skills and Qualifications 5+ years post qualification experience Must have experience conducting hearings both interim and final Must be able to effectively multi-task, manage time sensitive documents and have exceptional organizational and time-management skills in a fast-paced environment. Ability to work autonomously and within a team environment