NEWS & INSIGHTS
What Hong Kong-Based Investors Need to Know Before Buying Property in Australia
Australia remains one of the most sought-after destinations for property investment by buyers from Hong Kong and Greater China. According to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO)’s Register of Foreign Ownership of Australian Assets — which tracks residential properties acquired between 2016 and 2024 that remain in offshore hands — more than 40,000 residential properties are held by overseas interests, and mainland Chinese buyers account for approximately 67% of that total (some 23,550 properties). When Hong Kong buyers are included, that share exceeds 27,000 properties.
Yet the legal and tax environment for foreign buyers has never been more complex. Since 2025, a combination of new restrictions, higher fees, and elevated surcharges has significantly increased the cost and compliance burden for non-resident purchasers. This article sets out the key legal and financial considerations every Hong Kong-based investor should understand before entering the Australian property market.
Australia’s Migration Pathways for Hong Kong and GBA Residents — What Has Changed in 2025–26
Australia’s migration programme has undergone significant structural change since 2024. The Business Innovation and Investment Programme (BIIP) — long the primary route for wealthy investors from Hong Kong and Greater China — has been permanently closed to new applicants. In its place, a new National Innovation Visa (NIV) and a restructured Skilled Migration programme now define the landscape.
For Hong Kong SAR passport holders and British National (Overseas) passport holders, Australia continues to offer preferential treatment in several visa streams — a unique advantage that has no equivalent for other nationality groups. This article maps the key pathways available to Hong Kong and GBA residents in 2025–26.
Establishing a Food & Beverage Business in Australia — A Legal Checklist for Asian Operators
Australia’s food and beverage sector is one of the most dynamic — and most regulated — industries in the country. For operators and investors from Hong Kong and Greater China entering the Australian market, the regulatory environment presents distinct challenges: a mandatory franchising code that has been substantially rewritten from 1 April 2025, employment laws that carry significant penalties, food safety requirements, and a leasing environment quite different from Hong Kong.
At Robinsons (AU) Pty Ltd, our principal solicitor Mr Alun Pang spent six years as Legal Counsel at Hong Kong Maxim’s Group — the largest F&B operator in Hong Kong — advising on franchise agreements, joint ventures, and commercial leases across Asia. This article draws on that in-house experience to provide a practical legal checklist for Asian operators entering Australia.
Cross-Border Estate Planning for the Asia-Pacific Family — Why a Single-Jurisdiction Will Is Not Enough
A growing number of families connected to Hong Kong, Greater China, and the Asia-Pacific now hold assets across multiple countries — a Sydney apartment, a Hong Kong property, a New Zealand investment account, a Cayman Islands holding company. For these families, the assumption that a single will drafted in one country is sufficient to deal with their global estate is one of the most dangerous and costly misconceptions in personal financial planning.
This article explains why multi-jurisdictional estate planning is essential, what can go wrong without it, and the key legal frameworks families should understand when holding assets across Australia, Hong Kong, and New Zealand.
The Greater Bay Area — What Australian Businesses and Investors Need to Know
The Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) is one of the world’s most economically significant regions — yet it remains poorly understood by most Australian businesses. With a combined GDP that surpassed RMB 14.79 trillion (approximately USD 2.09 trillion) in 2024, the GBA now outranks both the New York Bay Area and the San Francisco Bay Area in economic output. It is home to 87 million people, 22 Fortune Global 500 companies, and a concentration of technology, manufacturing, and financial services capacity that is unmatched anywhere in the Asia-Pacific.
For Australian businesses seeking growth opportunities in Asia, the GBA represents one of the most compelling — and most legally complex — frontiers. This article explains what the GBA is, why it matters for Australia, and what legal infrastructure is needed to do business there effectively.
Australia’s AML/CTF Tranche 2 Reforms — What Law Firms, Accountants and Property Professionals Must Know Before 1 July 2026
On 29 November 2024, Australia’s Parliament passed the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Amendment Act 2024 — the most significant overhaul of Australia’s AML/CTF regime in nearly two decades. The Amendment Act received Royal Assent on 10 December 2024, and its implementing Rules — the AML/CTF Rules 2025 — were tabled in Parliament on 31 August 2025.
The centrepiece of these reforms is the ‘Tranche 2’ expansion, which extends Australia’s AML/CTF compliance obligations to a new class of regulated entities: lawyers, accountants, conveyancers, real estate agents, and dealers in precious metals and stones. For the legal profession in particular, these reforms represent a fundamental change to how law firms must approach client onboarding, transaction monitoring, and regulatory reporting — from 1 July 2026.
This article, written by Dr Gary Cheung, draws on his extensive background as a former Head of Compliance at both a securities broker and a major bank to explain the practical implications of these reforms for legal and professional services firms.