Three insurers for builder Icon are planning to test the reasonableness of a structural engineer’s defence costs in a now settled class action brought by apartment owners in Sydney’s ill-fated Opal Tower.
Clive Palmer’s Queensland Nickel refinery has lost its appeal of a decision ordering it pay $26.6 million for natural gas charges owed after a court rejected claims it did not need to repay the money because pipeline owners had breached their duties.
A judge has questioned how the government can enforce a “restrictive” undertaking with a former member of the Australian Defence Force who will give key evidence in a class action alleging the Commonwealth contaminated Indigenous land with toxic firefighting foam.
Pharmaceutical ingredient producer Alkaloids of Australia is facing a maximum $30 million penalty but has argued it should pay less than $1 million after pleading guilty to cartel conduct over the supply of a key chemical found in generic stomach cramp drugs.
The Full Federal Court has thrown out a decision that found foreign passengers could join a class action against cruise operator Carnival PLC over the 2020 COVID-19 outbreak aboard the Ruby Princess, finding a class action waiver was not unfair.
A judge has ruled that a litigation funder for an investor class action against Virgin must give the airline an indemnity to bring proceedings despite finding a deed of company arrangement requiring the pay-out “didn’t make sense”.
Chief Justice Susan Kiefel has decried the low number of women barristers appearing in the High Court, questioning whether there is a “price” to pay for state and federal policies focused on appointing more female judges.
The operator of Perth Airport has sued government-owned Airservices Australia for allegedly contaminating the airport’s groundwater, which flows into the Swan River, through the use of toxic firefighting foam.
Engineering services firm G&S has lost a bid to shield emails about “the need to obtain legal advice” in a $270 million dispute with the operator of a NSW open-cut coal mine.
An appeals court has found that two former executives of collapsed electronics retailer Dick Smith should pay the company’s receivers $11.8 million in damages for approving a dividend payment the company could not afford.