Terms and Conditions

Last updated: 5 July 2026 | Version 1.0 | ABN 95 855 172 370 Please read these Terms carefully. By accessing or using TheRef.com.au you agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions. If you do not agree, do not use the Site. 1. Introduction and Acceptance These Terms govern your use of TheRef.com.au operated by TheRef.com.au ABN 95 855 172 370. By using the Site you agree to these Terms, our Privacy Policy, and Community Guidelines. These Terms are governed by the laws of New South Wales, Australia. 2. Eligibility You must be at least 13 years of age to use this Site. By using the Site you confirm you have the legal capacity to enter a binding agreement and that all information you provide is accurate. 3. User Accounts You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account and all activity under it. Notify us immediately of any unauthorised use at editor@theref.com.au. We may suspend or terminate accounts that breach these Terms at any time without notice. 4. User-Generated Content By submitting articles or comments you grant The Ref a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, perpetual licence to publish, reproduce, modify, adapt, and distribute your content. You retain ownership of your original content. You warrant that your content is original, does not infringe third-party rights, is not defamatory or unlawful, and complies with our Community Guidelines. We reserve the right to edit, refuse, or remove any content at any time. 5. Prohibited Conduct You must not use the Site to: post defamatory, obscene, offensive, hateful, threatening, or harassing content; engage in racism, discrimination, or vilification; infringe intellectual property rights; publish private information without consent; impersonate any person; post spam or malware; scrape data without written consent; or engage in any unlawful activity. 6. Intellectual Property All non-user content on the Site is owned by or licensed to The Ref and protected by Australian and international copyright and trade mark law. "The Ref", "TheRef.com.au", and "Fair Call" are trade marks of The Ref. 7. Defamation Under the Defamation Act 2005 (NSW) you must not publish false statements of fact about identifiable individuals that damage their reputation. Opinion must be clearly presented as opinion based on true facts. You are solely responsible for defamatory content you publish and indemnify The Ref against any claims arising from it. 8. Disclaimer of Warranties The Site and all content are provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis without warranties of any kind to the fullest extent permitted by Australian law. Content is for general informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. 9. Limitation of Liability To the maximum extent permitted by the Australian Consumer Law, The Ref is not liable for any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages. Our total liability for any claim shall not exceed AUD $100. Nothing limits rights you may have under the Australian Consumer Law that cannot be excluded. 10. Indemnification You agree to indemnify and hold harmless The Ref, its operators, and agents from any claims, liabilities, damages, and costs arising from your use of the Site, your content, or your violation of these Terms. 11. AI-Generated Content The Ref uses AI tools to assist in generating editorial content. All AI-assisted content is clearly labelled and reviewed before publication. The Ref accepts no liability for reliance on AI-assisted content. 12. Governing Law and Disputes These Terms are governed by the laws of New South Wales, Australia. Before commencing legal proceedings you agree to first contact us at editor@theref.com.au. We will use reasonable efforts to resolve disputes within 30 days. 13. Contact Us Questions about these Terms: editor@theref.com.au These Terms were prepared to provide broad legal coverage under Australian law. We recommend having a qualified Australian lawyer review these documents as your site grows.