Archives July 2026

This article was written by Nancy Wang Principal Solicitor at W & G Lawyers.

From 1 October 2026, Australian businesses will no longer be permitted to apply card payment surcharges on most card transactions.

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—First in a series on the litigation legacy of the Business Innovation and Investment Program

This article was written by Nancy Wang Principal Solicitor at W & G Lawyers.

In March 2018, Ms Yang transferred $3.5 million to an Australian company called Axis North Pty Ltd. Within seven days the money was gone — passed to a related company, and from there to the mother of the man who controlled both. Ms Yang did not get it back. In July 2025 the Federal Court dismissed her claim with costs. In April 2026 the Full Court dismissed her appeal, again with costs.

Those two judgments — Yang v Wong [2025] FCA 693 (Derrington J) and Yang v Wong [2026] FCAFC 39 (Charlesworth, Jackman and Needham JJ) — are usually read as insolvency cases. They are important ones: the Full Court settled that the definition of “transaction” in s 588FDA of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) is narrower than the general definition in s 9, and that a “payment” from one party to another requires a change in the legal rights between them, not merely a flow of value.

But read the primary judgment closely and a second story emerges, one the appeal never touches. It is a story about why a person would hand over $3.5 million on terms that a Federal Court judge described as furnishing her with little or no protection — and about what her lawyers were, and were not, doing at the time.

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Planting trees in the backyard is a way of life in Brisbane. But the moment a branch reaches over the fence or a root cracks your neighbour’s pipes, things can get tense. Queensland has a law made for exactly these situations: the Neighbourhood Disputes (Dividing Fences and Trees) Act 2011 (the “Act”). Here’s how it works, in plain English.

This is general information, not legal advice for your specific situation. For an actual dispute, talk to a lawyer or the relevant government body.

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This article was written by Nancy Wang Principal Solicitor at W & G Lawyers. 

If you are a director of an Australian company, you almost certainly already have a director identification number — the 15-digit “director ID” that has been compulsory for new directors since 2021. Until now, that number has mostly sat quietly with the Australian Business Registry Services (ABRS), disconnected from the day-to-day life of your company.

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On 19 July 2026, the inaugural ceremony of the Queensland Chinese Affairs Committee was held at Tattersall’s Club in Brisbane. Melinda Gao and Nancy Wang attended the event on behalf of W & G Lawyers, joining guests from government, business, community organisations and multicultural groups to witness this meaningful milestone for the community.

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W & G Lawyers July 2026 Team Activity-The Jury Experience: The Million Dollar Murder

On 16 July 2026, the W & G Lawyers team attended the immersive courtroom production The Jury Experience: The Million Dollar Murder.

This was not an ordinary performance in which the audience simply watched and waited for the ending.

From the moment the hearing began, every audience member became a juror.

We listened to the competing cases presented by the prosecution and defence, assessed witness testimony, considered motives, timelines and circumstantial evidence, and ultimately answered one question:

Was the accused guilty?

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This article was written by Nancy Wang Principal Solicitor and Jialin Liu Solicitor at W & G Lawyers. 

Australia’s construction sector is short of people, and Chinese-qualified tradespeople, engineers and project managers are an obvious part of the answer. But there is a persistent piece of folklore in the market: that skilled migration from China means a long, expensive skills assessment before you can even lodge.

For most construction occupations, that is simply not true — and the exceptions are not the ones people expect.

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This article was written by Melinda Gao Principal Solicitor at W & G Lawyers. 

A common question in Australian divorce consultations is: Can I still get divorced if my spouse refuses to agree, will not sign the documents, or cannot be located?This concern arises particularly often in sole divorce applications.

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This article was written by Grace Blake Solicitor at W & G Lawyers.

A failing retaining wall is rarely a small problem. Replacing one can cost tens of thousands of dollars, and the most expensive question is usually the most contested one: who has to pay?

Many Queensland property owners assume they will simply split the cost with their neighbour, the way they would for a dividing fence. That assumption is often wrong, and acting on it can leave you badly out of pocket. Retaining walls are treated very differently under Queensland law. Who pays usually comes down to who benefits from the wall, where it sits, and who was at fault when it failed.

This article explains where the financial risk really lies. It is general information only and is not legal advice. Every retaining wall matter turns on its own facts, so please speak to us about your situation.

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This article was written by Jialin Liu Solicitor at W & G Lawyers.

After separation, many people try to rebuild and reorganise their lives. Some move into rental accommodation. Some return to work. Others want to create a more stable home for themselves and their children, and may consider buying a new property.

A common question then arises:

If we have already separated, can a house I buy afterwards still be divided in the divorce?

The answer is usually not a simple “yes” or “no”.

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