Charles Legal Group

01/10/2026

Supporting the people who grow Queensland.

Charles Legal Group is proud to stand with AgForce Queensland and the thousands of producers who keep our rural communities strong. As sponsors of the South West Region, we see firsthand the leadership AgForce provides — from advocating for fair land access laws to fighting for better biosecurity protections, water security, and sustainable farming futures.

AgForce are delivering a EPBC Reform Roadshow in Birdsville, Quilpie and Augathella in October. Please see this link -
https://www.agforceqld.org.au/knowledgebase/article/AGF-03255/

The Overview from AgForce - Understand EPBC reforms & environmental regulation, with expert insights, practical guidance and tools to support informed on-farm decisions.

Environmental regulations are changing, and understanding what they mean for your farming or grazing business has never been more important.

Join AgForce Queensland for a practical, in-person roadshow bringing together industry and government representatives to unpack regulatory changes, answer producer questions and provide practical information to support on-farm decision-making.

You will understand the latest EPBC reforms and what they mean for farming and grazing operations, including:

- What has changed under the EPBC reforms
- The 15-year rule and regrowth management
- Continuing Use Exemptions
- Matters of National Environmental Significance (MNES)
- Self-assessment and referral processes
- Commonwealth vs Queensland regulation
- Compliance, enforcement and risk management
- Potential impacts on routine farming and grazing operations
- Economic impacts on agriculture
- AgForce advocacy and industry priorities

We are proud to sponsor AgForce South West and recommend interested graziers contact them direct for booking details

For the past year, AgForce has been pushing back hard against new, unworkable environmental regulations. Understanding what the new laws could mean for your business has never been more important.

14/08/2026

Queensland property transactions just became more complex.

As you might recall from our posts over the past few months, Queenslanders have been hit with 2 new laws that result in far greater complexity when buying or selling property in Queensland. The new seller disclosure requirements mean sellers must provide more information upfront, and updated Anti‑Money Laundering and Counter‑Terrorism Financing laws require more thorough checks to confirm who people are and where funds come from.

If these steps aren’t done properly, your sale/purchase can be delayed — or even fall over.

Charles Legal Group helps you navigate every requirement with confidence.

Make sure you talk to us before you sign any contract!

13/07/2026

From 1 July 2026, a new Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) measures have been enforced in accordance with legislative reforms. This is now a legal requirement to complete.

Under the AML/CTF Amendment Act 2024, professional in the sectors of law, real estates and accountants will need to:

➡️ Verify customer identity
➡️ Monitor transactions or unusual or suspicious activity
➡️ Report suspicious activity to relevant authorities

As a conveyancing seller or buyer or estate executor, this mean you will be asked for more detailed information and documentation throughout the matter. We are not being painful, this is now the law. We are required to confirm where funds for conveyancing matters are coming from and much more.

As part of the identity verification process clients will be sent a link to complete verification. In this link you will have to upload copies of your identification like passport, driver licence, medicare card, marriage and birth certificates, Immigration Certificates etc.

If you refuse to provide the information requested, then we are legally prohibited from acting on your behalf. It will also trigger a suspicious matter report with governing bodies. This is not something that we are taking lightly as we can be fined for not completing the requirements.

We ask that you give us a little time, this change is big and we all need to work together to protect ourselves and our clients.

If you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact our office.

20/04/2026

26/03/2026

Fuel Prices Are Rising — But Can you be Charged Extra?

South West Queensland businesses are feeling the squeeze as fuel costs surge. Transport, delivery, farming, tourism — every kilometre is costing more. But before you add a “fuel surcharge” or increase your prices, make sure you’re on the right side of the law.

🚨 What You Can Do
Businesses can adjust prices or introduce surcharges — but only if it’s done transparently and lawfully. The ACCC requires that any extra fees must be clearly disclosed, not misleading, and not unfairly applied. If you have terms and conditions where you set the price, you may be stuck.

⚠️ What You Can’t Do
Hidden fees, unclear pricing, or sudden unexplained increases can expose businesses to legal risk, penalties, and reputational damage.

Practical Tips
Most people understand that costs are increasing as a result of the crisis. Maybe you could agree to fuel surcharge rather than a fee increase. That way, when the fuel costs go down, you can more easily monitor the cost. If it is a price increase – they might just become the new norm.

16/03/2026

Wills and Enduring Powers of Attorney – are they worth the hassle and cost?

If you’ve got:
✅a house that you think of as your castle,
✅a mob of cattle, or
✅some cash buried in the back yard, or
✅treasures collected over a lifetime, or
✅a tractor you love more than most people,or
✅a dog that thinks it owns the place…

…then you’ve also got something worth protecting.

A Will isn’t just for city folk in shiny shoes – it’s how you make sure your hard work goes where you want it to go, not where the law guesses it should.

And an Enduring Power of Attorney? That’s the “just in case” plan for when you’re crook, injured, mentally impaired, or temporarily out of action and someone needs to:
✅pay the bills
✅deal with the bank
✅keep the farm, business, or household running

Because leaving things “we’ll sort it out later” often leads to family meetings that feel more like a clearing sale… but with less agreement and more lawyers.

If you can plan for drought, floods, paying electricity bills, and machinery breakdowns, you can plan for this too.

📍 Local. Practical. No legal waffle.

Message our team if you want it done properly.

12/02/2026

Charles Legal Group were in Quilpie this week supporting Quiplie Shire Council with their wellbeing week for staff. We were able to catch up with some awesome people to discuss estate planning, carbon projects and succession planning for rural properties. Quilpie is an awesome community and it was great to be able to spend a few days in town.

17/11/2025

Is your business running you, or are you running your business?

As a business owner, you're so busy with the day-to-day that you don't have time for thinking about growth, or even how you might eventually get out through sale or succession.

This is a common scenario with many businesses, particularly those in rural and regional areas where it is sometimes hard to get staff. At Charles Legal Group, we have seen this on many occasions and have seen what does and does not work. Putting your head in the sand is not a solution we recommend! From time to time you need to step back and work on your business, rather than in it. Give us a call today on (07) 4654 1144 and we are happy to have a free initial consult on the types of things that might work for you.

20/10/2025

“From your first home to your final wishes—Charles Legal Group is there to assist.”

Whether you're buying property anywhere from Charleville to Toowoomba to Emerald to Quiplie or Cunnamulla - or working out what to leave in your Will, our team ensures every detail is handled with care.

Book an appointment today at charleslegalgroup.com.au or call 07 4654 1144.