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The growing menace of corruption in global business |
McGrathNicol’s Financial Crime Exchange (FCX) recently hosted a webinar highlighting the growing menace of corruption in global business. The webinar followed release of the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions... |
Advisory COVID-19 Financial Crime Exchange Forensic | Insight | 11 June 2021 |
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Transparency International report highlights COVID-19 linked corruption |
Transparency International (TI) recently released its Corruption Perceptions Index 2020 (CPI Index) which ranks 180 countries/territories according to perceptions of public sector corruption in each country. The report described... |
Advisory COVID-19 Financial Crime Exchange Forensic | Insight | 2 March 2021 |
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Craft beer: recovering from the COVID-19 hangover |
Mainstream vs craft: what’s the difference? The line between mainstream and craft beer blurred some time ago. Starting with the sale of Mountain Goat to Asahi in 2015, the major players (Lion and Asahi/CUB) have continued to... |
COVID-19 Advisory Transactions | Insight | 8 February 2021 |
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Australian winemakers must get nimble |
China’s impost of crippling import tariffs, ranging from approximately 107 to 212% on all Australian wine, is expected to cause the high-margin, fast growing Chinese market to dry up overnight and indefinitely. Having navigated... |
COVID-19 Restructuring | Insight | 4 December 2020 |
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Is the clock TikTok-ing on bricks and mortar retailers? |
Online retail has been a growing part of the retail landscape in recent years, with increasing acceptance across a range of categories and the shifting of sales dollars from traditional bricks and mortar channels, primarily... |
Advisory COVID-19 Restructuring | Insight | 3 December 2020 |
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Cyber-attack and corruption the standout financial crimes of 2020 |
The two standout financial crimes of 2020 were cyber-attack and corruption. While each was common prior to COVID-19, the pandemic has raised the threat level of both across all sectors. Cyber-attacks frequently reported during... |
Advisory COVID-19 Financial Crime Exchange Forensic Technology & Cyber | Insight | 16 November 2020 |
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Understanding value during COVID-19 |
COVID-19 has had far reaching economic impacts across numerous industries. As we move through the first earnings season since the beginning of the pandemic, it is important for companies and investors to understand and assess the... |
Advisory COVID-19 Restructuring | Insight | 9 October 2020 |
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Rescuing and recapitalising a business: triangulating your offer |
McWilliam’s Wines Group is currently in the process of being recapitalised via a Deed of Company Arrangement (‘DOCA’). Although the press reported members of the McWilliam family had proposed an alternative DOCA to regain... |
Advisory COVID-19 Restructuring | Insight | 30 September 2020 |
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Early warning signs for commercial property on the road... |
Australia currently has a “two tiered” property market with the ongoing Victorian lockdown likely to have longer lasting impacts to Victorian property value and returns. However, ongoing tensions between landlords and tenants... |
Advisory COVID-19 Restructuring | Insight | 24 September 2020 |
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Working from home – revisited |
Little did we realise twelve months ago how relevant our previous article was going to be when we wrote about the increased risk associated with remote working. With over 4.3 million people (32% of working Australians) working... |
Advisory COVID-19 Technology & Cyber | Insight | 21 September 2020 |
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Early warning signs for agribusiness operators on the road... |
This year has been dubbed as the start of a “multi-year rebuild” for Australia’s agribusiness sector as they recover from the prolonged drought, recent bushfires, major floods and now COVID-19. Uncertainty about the impacts... |
Advisory COVID-19 Restructuring | Insight | 17 September 2020 |
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Early warning signs for hospitality and tourism operators on... |
Hospitality and tourism relies on human relationships and social interaction. Changing consumer demands coupled with a reduction in Government stimulus and the added cost of social distancing will have “bottom line”... |
Advisory COVID-19 Restructuring | Insight | 13 August 2020 |
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Dealing with “early warning signs” on the road to... |
The road to economic recovery will invite new challenges and change for businesses operating in some of Australia’s key industries. But what if the road never travelled becomes bumpier than first thought? Are you aware of and... |
COVID-19 | Insight | 6 August 2020 |
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Payroll underpayment issues – where to start? |
There is no end in sight to the flow of payroll underpayment claims hitting the headlines and the desk of FairWork Australia. The problems are indiscriminate, arising in organisations within a broad range of sectors, size and... |
Advisory COVID-19 Forensic | Insight | 24 June 2020 |
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Forecasting in uncertain times: modelling lessons from COVID-19 |
We have been exposed to multiple COVID-19 estimates, including the number of contagious, fatalities, rates and other metrics. These forecasts consistently change and we have seen significant differences in the projected numbers.... |
Advisory COVID-19 Forensic | Insight | 16 June 2020 |
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IN RETAIL (NEW ZEALAND): COVID-19 special edition #4 |
Retailers received some much-needed relief following New Zealand’s downgrade of its COVID-19 response status from Alert Level 3 to Level 2 from 14 May 2020, allowing stores to re-open, with encouraging footfall and sales data.... |
COVID-19 Restructuring | Report | 9 June 2020 |
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Five considerations when conducting a counterparty risk review |
The current operating environment is unprecedented and many companies will be subject to increased financial and operational pressures. These pressures may lead to counterparties experiencing distress ranging from delayed... |
COVID-19 Restructuring | Insight | 3 June 2020 |
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The value of your contractual dispute just changed –... |
Globally, many businesses are currently suffering negative financial impacts in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. As economies have been gradually wound down to slow the rate of infection, demand for certain goods and services... |
Advisory COVID-19 Forensic | Insight | 1 June 2020 |
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“The toughest year of our lives…” Managing through a... |
“A crisis like nothing we have seen before”, “economic tsunami” “the Coronavirus recession is here” “a hundred years on, will there be another Great Depression?” The magnitude of the COVID-19 crisis reminds us... |
Advisory COVID-19 Forensic Governance, Risk & Compliance | Insight | 28 May 2020 |
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Engaging with stakeholders in uncertain times |
Managing through the challenges that COVID-19 is creating for business will require a significant amount of support from key business stakeholders. We are already seeing Government stimulus and a flexible approach by lenders to... |
Advisory COVID-19 Strategy & Business Improvement | Insight | 25 May 2020 |
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Looking Beyond: Optimise your capital structure and execute your... |
This is the final part of our series focused on strategy. So far we have covered why you need a new strategy, some of the external factors that will shape your thinking, practical considerations in remobilising your business, how... |
Advisory COVID-19 | Insight | 22 May 2020 |
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Looking Beyond: Building resilience and assessing M&A opportunities |
This is the third part of a series focussed on strategy. The first and second parts covered why you need a new strategy, some of the external factors that will shape your thinking and practical considerations in remobilising your... |
Advisory COVID-19 | Insight | 18 May 2020 |
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IN RETAIL (NEW ZEALAND): COVID-19 special edition 3 |
The effect of past shocks on the retail sector and what this may tell us about a post COVID-19 environment In this special COVID-19 release, we look at what happened to retail sectors during past shocks. Although this time is... |
Advisory COVID-19 Restructuring | Report | 12 May 2020 |
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Looking beyond: External factors and remobilisation |
This is the second part of a series focussed on strategy. The first covered why you need a new strategy and now the focus shifts to some of the external factors that will shape your thinking and considerations in remobilising... |
Advisory COVID-19 | Insight | 11 May 2020 |
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ausbiztv Interview – Jason Ireland |
What are the next stages of recovery for the retail sector? McGrathNicol Partner, Jason Ireland speaks to ausbiztv about what “get back to normal” will look like for the retail sector and how conversations between landlords... |
COVID-19 | Media | 7 May 2020 |
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Looking beyond: How to prepare your business for post... |
Now is the time to start thinking about what the impacts of COVID-19 mean for your business in the medium to longer term. The majority of business owners have been in crisis management mode, focused on stabilising their business... |
COVID-19 | Insight | 6 May 2020 |
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COVIDSafe Launch – success or failure? |
The Federal Government has released a key part of its strategy to combat COVID-19 through the Google and Apple App stores. Over two million people keen to do their bit for society downloaded and installed the app in just 24... |
COVID-19 | Insight | 4 May 2020 |
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Maintaining competitive advantage for hospitality operators during the COVID-19... |
The hospitality sector is experiencing significant impacts from COVID-19, including material changes to operations from Government regulations, which can lead to financial hardship. It is a stressful time for business owners... |
Advisory COVID-19 | Insight | 29 April 2020 |
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Everyone loves a bargain |
The flow on consequences of COVID-19 to Australian businesses and recent sluggish economic growth may result in a greater volume of distressed acquisition opportunities in the coming months. Injecting fresh capital where there... |
Advisory COVID-19 Restructuring Transactions | Insight | 28 April 2020 |
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Directors’ duties in a crisis |
When a crisis hits, issues arise on multiple fronts in what quickly becomes an unrecognisable business landscape. It can be difficult for directors to sort through the issues, prioritise and make informed decisions quickly. In... |
COVID-19 Restructuring | Insight | 27 April 2020 |
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The Australian: Contact tracing app is not Big Brother |
This article was first published in The Australian on 22 April 2020. The Federal government’s plans to introduce an app based on the Singapore government-developed app TraceTogether to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 has... |
Advisory COVID-19 Technology & Cyber | Media | 23 April 2020 |
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Is your whistleblower program effective against COVID-19 risk? |
Working remotely has become the norm due to the disruptions caused by COVID-19. Organisations need to refocus their whistleblower policies in light of staff working from home en masse for the first time ever. Working from home... |
Advisory COVID-19 Financial Crime Exchange Forensic | Insight | 22 April 2020 |
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COVID-19 and business interruption insurance: critical information required for... |
On 11 March 2020, the Insurance Council of Australia declared the COVID-19 outbreak to be an ‘insurance catastrophe,’ following its designation as a pandemic by the World Health Organisation. Many Australian businesses are... |
Advisory COVID-19 Forensic | Insight | 21 April 2020 |
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Insolvent trading and COVID-19: considerations for Company Directors |
The duty of directors to not allow a company to trade whilst it is insolvent is a specific duty under section 588G of the Corporations Act 2001 (the Act). Allowing a company to incur a debt at a time when there are reasonable... |
COVID-19 Restructuring | Insight | 20 April 2020 |
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Recommended Zoom Security Controls |
The popular videoconferencing service Zoom has recently come under scrutiny for security vulnerabilities being identified within their software such as ‘Zoombombing’ and dreaded ‘0-day’ vulnerabilities.... |
Advisory COVID-19 Technology & Cyber | Insight | 17 April 2020 |
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Wear a “black hat” when assessing a bargain |
Whether driven by the recent economic impact of COVID-19, or resulting from the ordinary course of business, the release of profit warnings, missed earnings guidance or the release of results significantly below consensus... |
Advisory COVID-19 Restructuring Transactions | Insight | 16 April 2020 |
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IN RETAIL (NEW ZEALAND): COVID-19 special edition #1 |
The COVID-19 crisis is undeniably changing the retail landscape in New Zealand and across the globe. While the crisis is ongoing and the full extent and length of any impact remains unknown, retailers, landlords and financiers... |
Advisory COVID-19 Restructuring | Report | 8 April 2020 |
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IN RETAIL: COVID-19 special edition #1 |
The COVID-19 crisis is undeniably changing the retail landscape, not only in Australia but across the globe. While the crisis is ongoing and the extent and length of any impact remains unknown, both retailers and consumers (as... |
Advisory COVID-19 Restructuring | Report | 8 April 2020 |
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Forecasting in an environment of uncertainty and rapid change |
Having a robust financial forecast is an important tool during a time of crisis, significant change or uncertainty. Management teams must be looking forward at what might play out over the coming weeks and determine the likely... |
Advisory COVID-19 Strategy & Business Improvement | Insight | 8 April 2020 |
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From panic buying to mass store closures – looking... |
The retail environment is changing on a daily and even hourly basis as a result of COVID-19, with consumer responses to the pandemic being felt across the industry and impacting retailers in very different ways. The extremes... |
Advisory COVID-19 | Insight | 3 April 2020 |
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Managing investigations remotely |
As business and the broader economy seeks to adapt to a changing world, it’s worthwhile considering how we can maintain a level of vigilance and appropriately respond to financial crime or unwanted events, when or if they... |
Advisory COVID-19 Forensic | Insight | 3 April 2020 |
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Rational people do bad things in uncertain times |
Fights over toilet paper, security guards protecting supermarkets, rationing of basic goods and medicines due to panic buying – has the world gone crazy? In uncertain times, ’rational’ people can do irrational... |
Advisory COVID-19 Forensic | Insight | 30 March 2020 |
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ABC News Interview – Keith Crawford |
Buying time and conserving cash is crucial in the current environment. McGrathNicol Restructuring Partner, Keith Crawford speaks to Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) about the announcements made by the Australian... |
COVID-19 | Insight | 27 March 2020 |
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Cyber-attacks through outsourced IT |
We are responding to a large number of urgent requests for clients who have been victims of cyber-attacks and the common fault can be attributed to trusted third party service providers. As we quickly change our working... |
Advisory COVID-19 Technology & Cyber | Insight | 26 March 2020 |
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Seven step COVID-19 plan for businesses |
The COVID-19 outbreak is impacting businesses in many ways including reduced trade, temporary business closures, staffing issues and supply chain interruptions. It is therefore important that Boards and management teams are... |
Advisory COVID-19 Strategy & Business Improvement | Insight | 25 March 2020 |
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COVID-19: The case for a comprehensive risk assessment and... |
The ongoing spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) has created a myriad of unique challenges for corporate Australia. Most organisations (including state and federal governments) are currently focused on supply chain dependencies... |
Advisory COVID-19 Forensic Governance, Risk & Compliance Restructuring Strategy & Business Improvement Technology & Cyber Transactions | Insight | 6 March 2020 |
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Coronavirus themed attacks are being used to socially engineer... |
In the past month there have been an increased level of coordinated and aggressive cyber-attacks targeting Australian businesses, individuals and Government agencies. These attacks have leveraged the news and hysteria around... |
COVID-19 Cyber & Information Risk Forensic | Insight | 5 March 2020 |