DP O’Keefe Macquarie Law is a legal office in Dubbo NSW Australia.
Dan O’Keefe is an experienced solicitor, accredited business law specialist, mediator and notary public.
Providing practical, cost-effective & confidential advice.
Come to us for a high level of service in a friendly & personal manner.
Law full news items
We are OPEN & propose to remain open & available as much as possible despite COVID
Some of the legal services we provide are essential. For instance, sales and purchases still need to go ahead. You should not put off signing a will. If stay at home rules apply we will be available for critical legal work.
We are fully vaccinated and follow recommended health protocols. Please telephone or email us first if you have any concerns. If you are unwell with flu-like symptoms; if you have travelled overseas recently; or if you have been in contact with anyone at risk of having contracted Covid-19, we ask that you call us before coming into our office. Entry to our office is conditional on compliance with government health orders.
We need to behave and think differently in these extraordinary times. While maintaining social distance and good hygiene we should try to stay connected, reach out to those isolated and work together as a community.
Notary public or public notary - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Dan O'Keefe is a notary public. You will need to make an appointment to see a notary public. You will need identification, for example, a passport or driver's licence.
Copies of individual documents can be certified by a notary public for which there is a fee payable. Multiple documents are often collated and bound with a notarial certificate. If a power of attorney is required it should be prepared in the country in which it will be used before signing it in front of the notary public in Australia.
Our resources page has more information about fees & charges, general requirements, process, apostilles, authentication by the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade (DFAT) and embassy or consulate.
School successfully sued for student's abuse
In Victoria a student has successfully sued a school for negligence and was awarded $2,632,319.25.
(PCB v Geelong College [2021] VSC 633)
Mandatory Covid-19 vaccinations: are they lawful?
The employment law committee of the NSW Law Society has produced a helpful article. A snapshot of the points:-
- Some employers can require employees to be vaccinated.
- The Fair Work Ombudsman has updated its guidance for employers and employees.
- Generally an employee cannot refuse work because colleagues are not vaccinated.
"The coronavirus pandemic doesn't automatically make it reasonable for employers to direct employees to be vaccinated against the virus."
"... if an employer is considering implementing a vaccination policy mandating that some or all of its employees must be vaccinated, then it should carefully consider consulting with their employees (and any relevant trade unions) prior to implementation."
(Article by NSW Law Society employment law committee 27 Sept 2021)
Be careful what you post - Social media & the risk of defamation
"The implications of the [High Court] judgment, however, extend well beyond media organisations. The effect is that every user of social media is a publisher of comments to their posts by anyone, irrespective of their knowledge or intention."
"The only responsible advice any defamation lawyer could now give to users of social media wanting to avoid the risk of being sued, short of disabling comments entirely, is to monitor them obsessively and remove anything that might remotely cause offence."
(Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd v Voller [2021] HCA 27)
(Article about defamation and the new serious harm test)
Abolition of certificates of title for land in NSW
NSW has been moving away from paper-based processes and toward the electronic lodgment of land transactions (eConveyancing). From 11 October 2021 certificates of title for land in NSW will be abolished. All records will be kept electronically by the land registry service.
Most "title deeds" for land were actually a certificate of title (CT). Existing CTs will be cancelled and CTs will no longer be issued. Existing CTs cannot be required to be produced to have a dealing or plan lodged for registration. Landowners and banks will instead receive an information notice.
If you have a CT you don't have to do anything with it. After 11 October 2021 the CT will not be a legal document. Don't destroy your CT just yet. Some transactions may begin before the cut-off date and be finalised afterwards.
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