Christine Murray
Christine heads up Canberra’s largest team of property lawyers and provides expert advice to property businesses, government departments, banks, builders and commercial landlords.
Over the course of her career, Christine has undertaken property work at the highest level and has acted for both interstate and government organisations with regard to land contracts, construction contracts, commercial and retail leasing, and lending and securities.
Working for some of Canberra’s leading property developers, Christine is renowned for being able to provide advice across the lifespan of a property project, from securing funding to managing risk and helping to get projects successfully completed.
With a comprehensive knowledge across all aspects of property law, Christine and her team is able to help clients seamlessly navigate what can be a highly complex legislative framework, in order to achieve their objectives.
- Commercial law and contracting
- Property law and leasing
- Construction law
- Lending and securities
- Trust law
- Stamp duty
- GST
- Unit titles and community title legislation
- Self-managed superannuation funds
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Commerce/Laws Australian National University
- Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice Australian National University
- Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (2019)
Admissions
- Australian Capital Territory
Affiliations and Memberships
- ACT Law Society Property Law Subcommittee
- Director of Community Housing Canberra Ltd (CHC)
- Land sale contracts. Christine advises commercial sellers and buyers regarding sale contracts and has an in-depth understanding of the various Commonwealth and state and territory tax compliance requirements associated with the sale of land. Christine also advises the Suburban Land Agency and the Ginninderry Joint Venture regarding the sale of vacant land (first grant of a crown lease) and dwellings. Christine is an adviser to the Commissioner for Social Housing regarding the sale and purchase of housing and is assisting the ACT Government in the finalisation of the loose-fill asbestos (Mr Fluffy) buy-back scheme.
To date Christine has acted on over 1,800 land sales for the Territory government.
Christine regularly acts on multi-million dollar real estate transactions, such as the sale of a Canberra City hotel which achieved a record price for an adaptive re-use building.
- Project structuring. Christine has advised some of Canberra and the region’s largest property development businesses regarding project structure, including the corporate group structure, unit trusts, discretionary trusts and bare trusts, joint venture agreements, development agreements, development management agreements and project delivery deeds. Christine has a particular interest in the Property Developers Act 2024 (ACT) and how the licensing regime will affect project structures. Christine was part of the stakeholder group for the legislation.
In recent years Christine provided advice to a landowner regarding a joint venture to develop land in the Woden township into 430 residential apartments.
Christine has provided strategic and legal advice to a Canberra club regarding a complex project for the rezoning, subdivision and sale of land, and the construction of a new club house.
- Construction contracts. Christine is adept at drafting, reviewing and advising on head contracts, subcontracts, consultancy agreements, and superintendent agreements. Christine is often requested to take part in the negotiation of building contracts for large projects on behalf of the developer or the builder. Christine is well-versed in all building delivery models including lump sum, cost plus, and construction management. Christine provides advice to principals and contractors regarding the administration of the Building and Construction Industry (Security of Payment) Act 2009 (ACT). Christine taught construction law topics at the Canberra Institute of Technology from 2018 to 2024, providing education and guidance to Canberra’s next generation of licensed builders.
Christine recently advised a Canberra developer regarding a construction management contract for a $110 million mixed use development.
Christine is currently assisting a Canberra community housing provider to negotiate a lump sum design and construction contract for a build-to-rent residential development.
- Commercial and retail leasing. Christine acts for both landlords and tenants. Christine has a deep understanding of the ACT and NSW retail leasing legislation and also provides advice regarding the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (ACT) to community housing providers and private landlords.
Christine has acted for several shopping centre landlords in NSW and the ACT.
Christine advised a landowner on an agreement for lease for the subdivision of land and the construction of a new retail showroom in Fyshwick.
- Lending and securities. Christine acts for many private lenders and has acted for several Australian banks. Christine also advises borrowers regarding complex project finance including mezzanine finance.
Christine advised a property developer regarding a combined $130+ million primary and mezzanine loan facility, including the management of finance conditions and negotiating tripartite agreements with key subcontractors.
Christine regularly assists clients with inter-family loans and security, including the registration of second mortgages.
Recently Christine has advised community and social housing providers regarding service funding agreements and grants from the Housing Australia Future Fund.
- Trust law. Christine provides advice regarding the use of trusts in business and property, and has specialised knowledge of the interplay between stamp duty laws and trusts in the ACT and NSW.
Christine has advised several developers on the use of bare trusts within their project structure, including the stamp duty implications of vesting or varying bare trusts.
- Stamp duty. Christine provides stamp duty advice to property businesses regarding the purchase and sale of interests in property in the ACT and NSW.
Christine has assisted several clients to successfully respond to an ACT Revenue section 82 notice, resulting in the cessation of further regulatory activity.
Christine provides advice regarding how to structure transactions to minimise unnecessary landholder duty.
Christine has advised on several land partitions, including a partition of over 200 units in the ACT for nominal duty.
Christine has advised on several corporate reconstruction transactions, allowing clients to successfully restructure their businesses without incurring stamp pay duty.
- GST. Christine has in depth knowledge of the complex GST rules pertaining to the acquisition, development and sale of real property.
Christine has advised on the GST treatment of complex land transactions, including mixed supplies of developed and undeveloped land, farm land, sales utilising the margin scheme, and supplies of a going concern.
- Unit titles. Christine has experience in unit titles legislation and community title legislation.
Christine regularly advises developers, owners corporations and strata managers regarding the interpretation of the unit titles legislation in the ACT and NSW, including providing practical advice and documents for general meetings.
Christine’s advice to an owners corporation was cited with approval by the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal in Kajula Pty Ltd & Units Plan No 682 (Civil Disputes).
- Self-managed superannuation funds. Christine guides her clients in respect of transactions involving self-managed superannuation funds, to ensure compliance with the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993.
Christine has provided advice to the trustees of SMSFs regarding related party transactions, in-house assets, and limited recourse borrowing.
We not only bring expertise across the spectrum of property law, but also a genuine desire to see our clients achieve their objectives.
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