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The Victorian Government recently announced a series of changes across all planning schemes and legislation. These changes largely flow from Victoria’s Housing Statement: The Decade Ahead 2024-2034, which identified that 800,000 new homes will be required in Victoria over the next decade (Housing Statement). The Housing Statement identifies that these houses will be provided “closer…

On 8 December 2024 the State Government announced a new initiative as part of the Economic Growth Statement to reduce red tape in planning approvals by abolishing the specific planning permit trigger for applications involving the supply and consumption of liquor on a premises – Clause 52.27 of all planning schemes in Victoria. Currently, new…

The State Taxation Further Amendment Act 2024 received Royal Assent on 3 December 2024.  The Act makes further amendments to state taxes, including the Vacant Residential Land Tax (VRLT). Below is a summary of the main amendments relating to land tax. Vacant Residential Land Tax Alpine Resorts Land in an “Alpine Resort” (such as a…

On 18 November 2024 the Australian Information Commissioner (AIC) published its decision in respect of Bunnings Group Limited. The AIC found that Bunnings had breached multiple sections of the Australian Privacy Principles as a result of the use of facial recognition technology (FRT) used at 63 stores in Victoria and New South Wales between November…

Liquor Licence Patron Numbers Many licensees will have recently received correspondence from LCV referring to the introduction of patron numbers on their liquor licences. Responses are due by 22 October 2024. Licensees who will have been contacted are those who currently have no patron capacity on their liquor licence. For some premises the introduction of…

BSP Lawyers are pleased to announce Matthew Elefanty has become a Director of the firm from 1 July 2024. Matthew has spent 8 years with BSP refining his practice in the hospitality, planning and commercial spaces, building client and industry relationships that have continued to solidify the professionalism that BSP is known for. Working with…

Yesterday the Victorian Greens announced a commitment from the Victorian Labor Government to set default limits on carded play and for reform of the community benefits scheme for club venue operators. Katherine Copsey, Victorian Legislative Council representative for the Greens, commented that: ‘… plans are currently underway to introduce mandatory carded play to poker machine…

Since the de-merger of liquor and gaming regulation, the new Victorian liquor regulatory body, Liquor Control Victoria (LCV), have published statements regarding their current approaches to compliance, leading to a regulatory environment where licensees are increasingly being held to account for failures to comply with the Liquor Control Reform Act 1998 (LCRA). These failures include…

On 12 December 2023, legislation making important amendments to Victorian tax laws received Royal Assent. Below is a summary of some of the amendments which are most likely to impact property owners, vendors and purchasers. If a sale of land contract is made on or after 1 January 2024, the contract must not require the…

The Victorian Government has announced an extension to COVID-19 exemptions under the planning scheme that relate to use of outdoor areas across Victoria. These were due to expire on 12 October 2023 but have been extended for a further 12 month period. In October 2020, the Victorian Government amended the planning scheme to facilitate hospitality…