Preface ix
About the author xii
How to use this text xiii
Abbreviations xvi
Cases xx
Statutes xxvi
Part 1 Foundations 1
Chapter 1 Business and the law 2
Introduction 3
1.1 Law and the business person 4
1.2 The nature of law 5
1.3 Justice, ethics and politics 15
Summary 23
Quiz 23
Exercises 24
Key terms 25
Acknowledgements 26
Chapter 2 The Australian legal system 27
Introduction 28
2.1 The Australian legal system 29
2.2 The Australian Constitution 42
2.3 The executive government 49
Summary 58
Quiz 58
Exercises 59
Key terms 60
Acknowledgements 62
Chapter 3 Politicians and judges 63
Introduction 64
3.1 The legislature 65
3.2 Parliament in operation 69
3.3 The judiciary 75
3.4 The doctrine of precedent 96
3.5 Alternative dispute resolution 100
Summary 103
Quiz 103
Exercises 104
Key terms 105
Acknowledgements 109
Chapter 4 How to find, understand and use the law 110
Introduction 111
4.1 Finding the law 112
4.2 Reading the law 116
4.3 Thinking like a lawyer 137
4.4 Writing like a lawyer 142
Summary 149
Quiz 149
Exercises 150
Key terms 152
Acknowledgements 153
Part 2 Legal consequences 155
Chapter 5 Deliberately causing harm 156
Introduction 157
5.1 Causing harm 157
5.2 Deliberately causing harm to person or property 161
5.3 Deliberately causing financial harm 174
5.4 The consequences of causing harm 179
Summary 184
Quiz 184
Exercises 185
Key terms 186
Acknowledgements 188
Chapter 6 Carelessly causing harm 189
Introduction 190
6.1 Carelessly causing harm to person or property 190
6.2 Carelessly causing financial harm 211
Summary 216
Quiz 216
Exercises 217
Key terms 219
Acknowledgements 219
Chapter 7 Contract law: formation of the contract 220
Introduction 221
7.1 Contracts 222
7.2 Requirement 1: agreement 222
7.3 Requirement 2: intention 232
7.4 Requirement 3: consideration 235
7.5 Formalities 243
7.6 Capacity to contract 244
7.7 Legality 247
Summary 250
Quiz 250
Exercises 251
Key terms 252
Acknowledgements 253
Chapter 8 Contract law: terms of the contract 254
Introduction 255
8.1 Express terms 256
8.2 Terms implied by the court 260
8.3 Statutory terms 262
8.4 Disclaimers 272
8.5 Unenforceable terms 274
8.6 Non-contractual representations and promises 276
Summary 282
Quiz 282
Exercises 283
Key terms 284
Acknowledgements 285
Chapter 9 Contract law: enforcement of the contract 286
Introduction 287
9.1 Entitlement to enforce 287
9.2 Unenforceable contracts: lack of consent 290
9.3 Remedies 299
9.4 The end of the contract 307
Summary 311
Quiz 311
Exercises 312
Key terms 313
Acknowledgements 315
Chapter 10 Contract law: working with agents 316
Introduction 317
10.1 Getting someone else to do it 317
10.2 Scope of authority 320
10.3 The agent’s duties 326
10.4 The agent’s entitlements 331
10.5 Liability of agent and principal 333
10.6 Concluding the agency 335
Summary 337
Quiz 337
Exercises 339
Key terms 340
Acknowledgements 342
Chapter 11 Dealing with consumers 343
Introduction 344
11.1 Protecting consumers 344
11.2 Dealing with consumers 347
11.3 Consequences of contravention 372
11.4 Consumer privacy 377
Summary 384
Quiz 384
Exercises 385
Key terms 386
Acknowledgements 387
Chapter 12 Dealing with competitors 388
Introduction 389
12.1 Protecting competition 389
12.2 Dealing with competitors 390
12.3 Prohibited conduct 395
12.4 Consequences of breach 409
Summary 413
Quiz 413
Exercises 414
Key terms 415
Acknowledgements 416
Chapter 13 Protecting IP 417
Introduction 418
13.1 Intellectual property law 419
13.2 Copyright 421
13.3 Trade marks 436
13.4 Patents 446
13.5 Designs 453
13.6 Breach of confidence 456
Summary 459
Quiz 459
Exercises 460
Key terms 461
Acknowledgements 462
Part 3 Managing a business 463
Chapter 14 Managing a business: start-up 464
Introduction 465
14.1 Preparation 465
14.2 Licences and registration 470
14.3 Renting or buying the premises 472
14.4 Opening for business 486
Summary 490
Quiz 490
Exercises 491
Key terms 492
Acknowledgements 495
Chapter 15 Managing a business: business ownership 496
Introduction 497
15.1 The sole trader 497
15.2 The partnership 498
15.3 The trust 516
15.4 The franchise 520
Summary 527
Quiz 527
Exercises 528
Key terms 529
Acknowledgements 531
Chapter 16 Managing a business: companies and corporate governance 532
Introduction 533
16.1 The company 533
16.2 Corporate finance 539
16.3 Corporate governance 543
Summary 560
Quiz 560
Exercises 562
Key terms 563
Acknowledgements 565
Chapter 17 Managing a business: making payments and recovering debts 566
Introduction 567
17.1 Making payments 567
17.2 Recovering debts 576
Summary 592
Quiz 592
Exercises 593
Key terms 594
Acknowledgements 596
Chapter 18 Managing a business: insurance and taxes 597
Introduction 598
18.1 Taking out insurance 598
18.2 Paying tax 607
Summary 615
Quiz 615
Exercises 616
Key terms 616
Acknowledgements 617
Chapter 19 Managing a business: employing workers 618
Introduction 619
19.1 Employee or independent contractor? 621
19.2 Employer obligations 624
19.3 Workplace conditions 629
19.4 Termination of employment 637
Summary 640
Quiz 640
Exercises 641
Key terms 641
Acknowledgements 642
Chapter 20 Managing a business: closing down 643
Introduction 644
20.1 Financial difficulty 644
20.2 Personal insolvency 646
20.3 Corporate insolvency 657
20.4 Closing the business 664
Summary 671
Quiz 671
Exercises 672
Key terms 673
Acknowledgements 675
Index 676
