Australia: Inside Employment podcast series, Episode 8: The future of non-competes: unpacking the proposed reforms

Recorded 14 September 2026

In this episode of Inside Employment, Tony Wood, Natalie Gaspar and Lucy Boyd unpack the Federal Government’s proposed reforms to non-compete and restraint of trade laws, recently released in exposure draft form. The proposed changes would significantly reshape the use and enforceability of non-compete and non-solicitation clauses across Australia. 

Tony, Natalie and Lucy discuss the key elements of the proposed reforms, including the ban on non-competes for employees below the high-income threshold, the prohibition on employee non-solicitation clauses, the new enforcement framework for higher income earners, and what the changes could mean for employers and workforce mobility. 

With consultation now underway, this episode provides a timely overview of one of the most significant proposed changes to Australian employment law in recent years.