AI developments are moving fast. In the first episode of our AI Now series, Cheng Lim and Bryony Evans break down Australia’s National AI Plan - what’s changing, what’s not and what it means for business.

Key topics discussed

• The three pillars of the National AI Plan: infrastructure, sharing benefits and safety
• No new standalone AI laws - existing regulation still applies
• Workplace consultation and its impact on AI adoption
• Data centres, investment hurdles and practical challenges
• Steps for effective AI governance and privacy compliance
• Where ‘sovereign’ AI fits in and what to watch next

King & Wood Mallesons’ annual Class Actions in Australia report tracks the latest data and trends in Australia’s evolving litigation landscape. 

In this episode, Partners Suzy Madar and Peta Stevenson dive into a sector that has been a focal point or some of Australia’s most complex and high-profile class actions: health.

In this episode they discuss: 

• How technical, scientific expert evidence affects claims outcomes
• US vs Australia - similar claims, different risks and rewards
• Major cases in 2025: Roundup and Monash IVF
• What’s next for health class actions?

Listen now and read the full report The Review: Class Actions in Australia 2024/2025 available here.

Crypto is moving into a more structured regulatory environment across global markets. In this episode, host Nathan Hodge is joined by Urszula McCormack and Cindy Shek to discuss the fundamentals of digital assets, the rise of spot ETFs and other fund structures, and the maturing regulatory frameworks developing in Hong Kong, the US and Australia.

Key topics discussed

• How crypto is defined and used
• Spot ETFs, crypto funds and product innovation
• Global regulatory approaches
• AML reforms and ASIC guidance
• Considerations for managers seeking crypto exposure

This episode examines the regulatory and governance developments shaping investment platforms, and the Shield and First Guardian failures. Partners Nathan Hodge and Stephen Jaggers discuss the evolution of IDPS and superannuation platforms, key structural differences, and the emerging regulatory expectations influencing how these products are designed, governed and monitored.

Key topics discussed

• How platforms developed and why they remain adviser-driven
• Differences between IDPS and superannuation governance obligations
• Fallout from Shield and First Guardian and the focus on menu oversight
• Due diligence, conflicts and DDO considerations
• Growth of managed accounts and exposure to alternative assets

King & Wood Mallesons’ annual Class Actions in Australia report charts the latest record-breaking trends in Australia’s evolving litigation landscape. 

In this episode, Partners Michael Swinson and Peta Stevenson breakdown how privacy class actions are changing in Australia.

In this episode they discuss: 

• The rise of privacy class actions
• How the Privacy Act reforms are paving the way to new claims
• Serious invasions of privacy stealing headlines
• The OAIC’s promised aggressive approach

Listen now and read the full report The Review: Class Actions in Australia 2024/2025 available here.

This episode dives into the intersection of business, law, community, and society, focusing on complex mental health in the workplace. Special guest Rachel Green brings her lived experience and leadership perspective as CEO of SANE Australia, one of the nation’s leading mental health advocacy organizations.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Rachel’s career highlights and motivations, including the impact of building new digital services for people with complex mental health needs
• Challenges in Australia’s funding landscape for mental health, and the shift toward digital innovation
• SANE Australia’s lived-experience-led approach to supporting people and families affected by complex mental health
• Frameworks like CHIME (Connection, Hope, Identity, Meaning, Empowerment) and their role in recovery and workplace participation
• The reality and impact of stigma in Australian workplaces and ways to foster more inclusive cultures
• Positive and negative effects of technology and hybrid work on employee mental health
• Innovative practices like quarterly breaks and incentivized leave to support wellbeing
• The future of mentally healthy workplaces: leadership’s role, structural change, and continuous improvement
• How organizations and individuals can support SANE Australia, including upcoming initiatives like the national stigma report card and opportunities for partnership, volunteering, and workplace giving

Please note that while Dan Creasey has left KWM, he remains deeply connected to the important issues explored in these episodes. His insights continue to be invaluable in our discussions.

In this episode of the It’s Public podcast, Daniel Natale sits down with David Friedlander, Jennifer Cheung and Rob Kelly to discuss the landmark $14 billion Brickworks–Soul Patts merger - a deal that ended more than half a century of cross-ownership. The conversation explores how the parties found valuation common ground in a scrip-for-scrip transaction, and how capital markets stepped up to support the deal.

They discuss:

• The history of the cross-shareholding and how it endured for more than five decades (despite criticism for limiting transparency and shareholder value)
• The 2025 merger itself and the innovative ‘top hat’ structure
• The $1.4 billion capital raising that supported the merger
• The current ASX Listing Rules consultation on shareholder approval requirements – and how this could pave the way for more deals of this kind.

Read the full third edition of It’s Public here: It's Public - KWM

Duration: 27 minutes

Presenters:

• Meredith Paynter (Partner, Mergers and Acquisitions)
• Rhys Casey (Partner, Mergers and Acquisitions)
• Lizzie Knight (Partner, Mergers and Acquisitions
• Jason Watts (Partner, Mergers and Acquisitions)

Overview:
The authors of the KWM Directions 2025 Report, Meredith Paynter, Rhys Casey, Lizzie Knight and Jason Watts, delve into the latest findings on what is ‘top of mind’ for Australian businesses. This episode is packed with insights on how Australian directors and senior business leaders are thinking about the adoption of AI, corporate culture and tackling red tape. 

To read more, download the KWM Directions 2025 Report.

Key Points Discussed:

1. Survey results on the short- and medium-term priorities of Australian directors and senior business leaders, including the ongoing focus on profitability, and improving productivity growth.
2. AI strategies and barriers to implementation across Australian businesses.
3. Geopolitical and geo-economic risks, and how businesses are scenario planning while maintaining optimism.
4. Cutting red tape to help drive productivity growth.
5. Culture at an inflection point, as the focus on innovation and AI overtakes the focus on corporate culture as a strategic priority for the first time in our survey history.

Duration: 12.41

Host: Sam Farrands, KWM Head of Projects

Guest: Serafina Muryanti, ABNR, Indonesia

Summary:

Public-private partnerships (PPPs) are fuelling Indonesia’s infrastructure growth across sectors including transport, telecommunications, water, healthcare and more.

KWM’s Head of Projects, Sam Farrands, speaks with Serafina Muryanti, Partner at leading Indonesian law firm ABNR, about the country’s evolving PPP landscape and the opportunities it presents for foreign investors.

Key topics: 

• The growing role of PPPs in Indonesia’s next wave of infrastructure development
• The current regulatory framework, including Presidential Regulation No. 38 of 2015
• Unique aspects of Indonesia's PPP model, such as fiscal support mechanisms and government guarantees
• What foreign investors need to know about stakeholder engagement in Indonesian projects
• Emerging opportunities across key sectors - water, transport, waste, healthcare and housing
• Practical tips for partnering with government and local investors.

You can read their key takeaways in full here: https://kwm.digital/ppp-indonesia

For more regional insights, subscribe to KWM's View from Asia: https://kwm.digital/subscribe-view-from-asia

King & Wood Mallesons’ annual Class Actions in Australia report has become a defining source of insight into Australia’s evolving litigation landscape. 

In this episode, Partners Moira Saville and Peta Stevenson unpack the major findings from the 2024/25 Review, exploring the record numbers, landmark judgments and emerging risks shaping class action activity nationwide.

In this episode they discuss: 

• The story behind this year’s record filings and settlements
• The High Court’s role in redefining class closure powers and funding models
• The growing reach of privacy and employment claims
• What recent judgments mean for governance, disclosure and executive accountability 

Listen now and read the full report The Review: Class Actions in Australia 2024/2025 available here.