Market Intelligence

Since 1 July 2026, commercial landlords in New South Wales face criminal prosecution if they knowingly permit tenants to sell illicit tobacco or illegal vapes from their premises. The offence carries penalties of up to one year imprisonment and/or $165,000 fine, marking a significant expansion of NSW's crackdown on the tobacco black market. While the government frames this as targeting landlords who profit from illegal trade, critics argue the laws are overly punitive and may prove ineffective as the trade

The NSW Government has introduced sweeping reforms to sexual assault trial procedures, fundamentally altering how complainants are questioned, how their evidence is recorded, and what access defence lawyers have to counselling records. These changes represent the most significant overhaul of adult sexual assault prosecutions in years, but raise critical questions about whether they appropriately balance victim protection against the fundamental rights of the accused.

Australia's fight against money laundering relies on public-private information sharing through the Fintel Alliance, but regulatory barriers and privacy considerations create challenges. How can Australia expand collaboration beyond current ring-fenced arrangements to strengthen financial crime prevention while protecting consumer privacy?

New South Wales has become the first Australian state to introduce a conditional registration scheme for medicinal cannabis patients, replacing automatic drug driving penalties with a threshold-based system. The reform requires patients to register with Transport for NSW and complete mandatory education, but questions remain about whether the new framework adequately balances road safety with patient rights.

The NSW Government has extended strict bail laws for young people accused of repeat car theft and break-and-enter offences until April 2028, while simultaneously launching an $8.4 million voluntary diversion pilot program in Tamworth. These legislative changes arrive amid heated political debate over youth crime, with data showing the laws have resulted in 70% bail refusals and a 30% increase in youth remand numbers, disproportionately affecting Aboriginal communities.

Australia is proposing a world-first corporate criminal offence for failing to prevent modern slavery in supply chains, requiring organisations to adopt adequate procedures to identify and mitigate risks.