Preface ix
About the Author xiii
How to use this text xiv
Abbreviations xvii
Cases xxi
Statutes xxviii
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 6
1.3 Justice, ethics and politics 18
Summary 27
Quiz 27
Exercises 28
Key terms 29
Acknowledgements 30
Chapter 2 The Australian legal system 31
Introduction 32
2.1 The Australian legal system 33
2.2 The Australian Constitution 47
2.3 The executive government 54
Summary 63
Quiz 63
Exercises 64
Key terms 65
Acknowledgements 67
Chapter 3 Politicians and judges 69
Introduction 70
3.1 The legislature 71
3.2 Parliament in operation 74
3.3 The judiciary 80
3.4 The doctrine of precedent 101
3.5 Alternative dispute resolution 106
Summary 109
Quiz 109
Exercises 110
Key terms 111
Acknowledgements 114
Chapter 4 How to find, understand and use the law 115
Introduction 116
4.1 Finding the law 117
4.2 Reading the law 122
4.3 Thinking like a lawyer 144
4.4 Writing like a lawyer 150
Summary 156
Quiz 156
Exercises 157
Key terms 159
Acknowledgements 160
Part 2 Legal consequences 161
Chapter 5 Deliberately causing harm 162
Introduction 163
5.1 Causing harm 163
5.2 Deliberately causing harm to person or property 167
5.3 Deliberately causing financial harm 182
5.4 The consequences of causing harm 187
Summary 192
Quiz 192
Exercises 193
Key terms 194
Acknowledgements 196
Chapter 6 Carelessly causing harm 197
Introduction 198
6.1 Carelessly causing harm to person or property 198
6.2 Carelessly causing financial harm 221
Summary 227
Quiz 227
Exercises 228
Key terms 230
Acknowledgements 230
Chapter 7 Contract law: formation of the contract 231
Introduction 232
7.1 Contracts 233
7.2 Requirement 1: agreement 233
7.3 Requirement 2: intention 244
7.4 Requirement 3: consideration 247
7.5 Formalities 255
7.6 Capacity to contract 257
7.7 Legality 259
Summary 263
Quiz 263
Exercises 264
Key terms 265
Acknowledgements 266
Chapter 8 Contract law: terms of the contract 267
Introduction 268
8.1 Express terms 269
8.2 Terms implied by the court 274
8.3 Statutory terms 276
8.4 Disclaimers 286
8.5 Unenforceable terms 288
8.6 Non-contractual representations and promises 291
Summary 296
Quiz 296
Exercises 297
Key terms 298
Acknowledgements 300
Chapter 9 Contract law: enforcement of the contract 301
Introduction 302
9.1 Entitlement to enforce 302
9.2 Unenforceable contracts: lack of consent 304
9.3 Remedies 315
9.4 The end of the contract 323
Summary 327
Quiz 327
Exercises 328
Key terms 329
Acknowledgements 330
Chapter 10 Contract law: working with agents 331
Introduction 332
10.1 Getting someone else to do it 332
10.2 Scope of authority 336
10.3 The agent’s duties 341
10.4 The agent’s entitlements 347
10.5 Liability of agent and principal 349
10.6 Concluding the agency 352
Summary 354
Quiz 354
Exercises 356
Key terms 357
Acknowledgements 359
Chapter 11 Dealing with consumers 361
Introduction 362
11.1 Protecting consumers 362
11.2 Dealing with consumers 366
11.3 Consequences of contravention 393
11.4 Consumer privacy 400
Summary 412
Quiz 412
Exercises 413
Key terms 414
Acknowledgements 416
Chapter 12 Dealing with competitors 417
Introduction 418
12.1 Protecting competition 418
12.2 Dealing with competitors 419
12.3 Prohibited conduct 424
12.4 Consequences of breach 439
Summary 443
Quiz 443
Exercises 444
Key terms 445
Acknowledgements 446
Chapter 13 Protecting IP 447
Introduction 448
13.1 Intellectual property law 449
13.2 Copyright 451
13.3 Trade marks 471
13.4 Patents 480
13.5 Designs 487
13.6 Breach of confidence 490
Summary 493
Quiz 493
Exercises 494
Key terms 495
Acknowledgements 497
Part 3 Managing a business 499
Chapter 14 Managing a business: start-up 500
Introduction 501
14.1 Preparation 501
14.2 Licences and registration 506
14.3 Renting or buying the premises 508
14.4 Opening for business 522
Summary 526
Quiz 526
Exercises 527
Key terms 527
Acknowledgements 531
Chapter 15 Managing a business: business ownership 533
Introduction 534
15.1 The sole trader 534
15.2 The partnership 535
15.3 The trust 553
15.4 The franchise 559
Summary 566
Quiz 566
Exercises 567
Key terms 568
Acknowledgements 570
Chapter 16 Managing a business: companies and corporate governance 571
Introduction 572
16.1 The company 572
16.2 Corporate finance 578
16.3 Corporate governance 583
Summary 602
Quiz 602
Exercises 604
Key terms 605
Acknowledgements 607
Chapter 17 Managing a business: making payments and recovering debts 609
Introduction 610
17.1 Making payments 610
17.2 Recovering debts 620
Summary 638
Quiz 638
Exercises 639
Key terms 640
Acknowledgements 642
Chapter 18 Managing a business: insurance and taxes 643
Introduction 644
18.1 Taking out insurance 644
18.2 Paying tax 654
Summary 663
Quiz 663
Exercises 664
Key terms 664
Acknowledgements 665
Chapter 19 Managing a business: employing workers 667
Introduction 668
19.1 Employee or independent contractor? 670
19.2 Employer obligations 673
19.3 Workplace conditions 679
19.4 Termination of employment 687
Summary 691
Quiz 691
Exercises 692
Key terms 692
Acknowledgements 693
Chapter 20 Managing a business: closing down 695
Introduction 696
20.1 Financial difficulty 696
20.2 Personal insolvency 698
20.3 Corporate insolvency 709
20.4 Closing the business 716
Summary 723
Quiz 723
Exercises 724
Key terms 725
Acknowledgements 727
Index 729
