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ARTICLE · 07 MARCH 2022

Signing documents in the modern, electronic era

Bartier Perry Solicitors
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This Bill allows companies to continue to execute documents in the face of this much-changed business landscape.

AustraliaCorporate/Commercial Law
Eric Kwan
Eric Kwan
Samantha Pacchiarotta
Samantha Pacchiarotta
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Temporary measures were introduced in response to COVID to allow companies to sign documents electronically and enable them to operate as close to business as usual as possible.

The Corporations Amendment (Meetings and Documents) Bill 2021 (Bill) makes these temporary measures permanent and became law on 22 February 2022. The Bill also brings a few other perks and updates which companies will find useful moving forward. We explore these below:

1. Technology neutral signing

The Bill allows a company the flexibility to sign documents by:

  • its officers under section 127 of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (Act); or
  • its agents under section 126 of the Act,

by hand or electronically so long as:

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