From April 2025, large employers must select and report on three gender equality targets as part of their public WGEA disclosures. These are in addition to annual reporting on gender indicators like pay gaps, flexibility and board diversity. But the real shift is in enforcement. WGEA is actively using its naming and shaming powers, publishing annual lists of non-compliant employers, often attracting media scrutiny and reputational fallout. Non-compliance can also mean no Certificate of Compliance, which may block access to federal contracts and funding. Worse still, if reports are false or misleading, employers could face criminal penalties under the Criminal Code: Allens, WGEA

At the AFIA Risk Summit, ASIC’s Alan Kirkland warned the credit industry that predatory lending and poor hardship responses are now front-line enforcement issues. Lenders targeting vulnerable consumers with high-cost, unsuitable loans are already under review. ASIC is investigating several lenders, including Money3, Diamond Wheels, Swoosh Finance and Oak Capital. Kirkland also slammed lenders for failing to help struggling borrowers. ASIC found that hardship applicants were routinely ignored or bounced around, some making six separate requests before getting help. ASIC has since taken action against Westpac, NAB and Resimac, and warned that lenders must have tailored, accessible hardship processes in place, not “one-size-fits-all” templates: ASIC

Courts are taking a hard look at “unreasonable” extra hours under the FW Act. A 2024 case confirmed that workloads alone can imply a request for overtime, especially if deadlines or culture push staff to regularly exceed 38 hours. But if extra hours are self-imposed or done without employer knowledge, that’s different. But industry standards also matter, with a court rejecting the idea that long hours were “normal” in advertising, siding with a 37.5-hour benchmark instead of 40 hours. How do you think the legal industry fairs? Rigby Cooke

Allens is offering the most clerkship spots this season, ahead of KWM and Ashurst. With nearly all grad jobs going to ex-clerks, competition’s fierce. Mid-tiers are stepping up to poach top talent, and students are weighing "fit" over brand. You can read our free clerkship application guide here.

PwC Australia’s profits dropped to $619m, even as CEO Kevin Burrowes banked $4.6m and partners took home an average of $767k. Its first-ever audited report is pitched as a “transparency milestone”, but critics aren’t sold. The firm’s $2.17bn revenue was down 6%, while exec pay included $2.6m for Rob Silverwood and $2.2m for audit chief Sue Horlin: AFR

Ashurst has hired Aylin Cunsolo from Baker McKenzie as a partner in its Projects & Energy Transition team in Melbourne. With deep experience in energy regulation and revenue contracts, Cunsolo joins as offshore wind, hydrogen, and storage deals ramp up. The timing is apt as global capital continues to chase Australia’s renewable boom: Ashurst

KWM has promoted 83 across its legal and shared services teams, including 9 to special counsel and 60 to senior associate, 13 more SAs than last year, but 5 fewer SCs. The announcement follows 4 recent partner promotions: KWM

Trump confirmed US bombers hit three of Iran’s nuclear sites, dragging Washington directly into the Israel–Iran conflict. Bunker-busting bombs reportedly hit Fordow and Natanz, shaking Tehran like an earthquake. Markets are bracing, with oil tipped to soar past US$100/barrel if Iran retaliates or shuts the Strait of Hormuz. Penny Wong has backed the US attacks: ABC News, Capital Brief

In other news, Tesla’s driverless taxi dream is finally live in Austin, with 20 Model Ys cruising limited areas in the brand’s first robotaxi trial. The cars run on upgraded camera-only autopilot, ahead of a bigger rollout next year featuring a Cybercab and Robovan. Investors are hoping the move can help Musk recover from sagging sales and consumer backlash: Reuters

Despite tightening wallets, 18–34s are more optimistic than older Aussies, expecting better income and savings ahead. But spending habits are shifting—fast fashion and burritos are in, while footwear and travel are out. As cost-of-living pressures reshape youth spending, UBS is backing GYG, Universal Store and Premier as the retail plays to watch: The Australian

AMP: may be mulling a major break-up, potentially offloading its bank or splitting it from its wealth unit. A buyer may finally be circling the $23bn mortgage book. Also on the table: a scrip-based merger with Insignia Financial, if rival bids for Insignia fall over. A capital-light AMP could free up firepower for M&A: The Australian

South Australia Gov: is playing hardball on ADNOC’s $36bn bid for Santos, demanding job guarantees, a locked-in Adelaide HQ, and big reinvestment in the Cooper Basin. Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis wants legally binding commitments. The state’s submission to FIRB adds another layer of scrutiny to a deal already under pressure: AFR

Edify Energy: sale process just got spicier, with bidders told a $2.5–$2.6bn bank facility is ready to go, backing a valuation of ~$3.5bn. Lazard’s running the auction, with IFM, EQT, Stonepeak and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners circling: AFR

PointsBet: says Betr’s latest all-scrip bid still comes up short, valuing shares at $1.086 vs MIXI’s $1.20 offer. Betr’s Matt Tripp is pulling out all the stops, touting $48m in synergies and making a personal plea to PointsBet’s shareholders. But with Betr only trading at 28.5c and holding just 19.9%, the numbers still aren’t stacking up: Capital Brief

Woodside and Esso have struck 92 petajoules of new gas in the Bass Strait, offering a short-term reprieve for the east coast energy crunch. Analysts say the find could delay gas shortfalls by up to two years, but won’t fix the structural imbalance: The Australian

Fleet Space is expanding its AI-powered ExoSphere platform, teaming up with mDetect, Nomad Atomics and DeteQt to sharpen mineral discovery tech. Backed by $157m in fresh funding, it’s already secured deals with BHP, Rio, Barrick and Gold Fields, and will scan 12,000 sq km of Saudi ground. Lunar deployment? Slated for late 2026: Capital Brief

Insurers like Zurich and AIA are rolling out AI-powered facial scans to check vitals like blood pressure and pulse in under a minute. The tech helps speed up claims, especially abroad. But it’s raising privacy red flags, with calls for better guardrails on how biometric data is stored: AFR

L1 Capital’s founders say their proposed merger with Platinum Asset Management isn’t an exit play. It’s a reset. They’re locking up their shares, stepping back from exec roles to focus purely on stock picking, and promise to modernise Platinum’s operations. With Kerr Neilson’s backing, they’re betting they can revive Platinum’s faded shine: The Australian

Macquarie Asset Management is back in the skies, snapping up stakes in three UK airports, including 55% of Bristol, 26.5% of Birmingham, and 25% of London City. The move adds to Macquarie’s $60bn+ British infrastructure spree since ’99, and comes just a year after bowing out of the Heathrow bidding war: AFR

Gateway Capital has wrapped its first fund with $246m in sales and above-forecast returns, as it pivots to a new $400m vehicle backed by institutional capital. It points to Hands-on asset management as its edge, not just falling cap rates. With land-constrained sites in focus, Gateway is backing quality sheds over big-box sprawl (and riding a 60% rent uplift): The Australian

X (formerly Twitter) is gearing up to launch in-app trading and payments, with CEO Linda Yaccarino teasing Visa-backed wallets, P2P transfers, and even X-branded cards. Musk said, “If it involves money, it’ll be on our platform… you won’t need a bank account”: FinExtra

Apple is reportedly weighing a bid for Perplexity AI, as it hunts for top AI talent and hedges against a possible $20bn breakup with Google. Apple execs say tools like Perplexity could supersede Google Search, but a looming Samsung tie-up may complicate any deal. A buyout would be Apple’s biggest acquisition yet: AFR