Cindy Cameronne

A judge has refused a bid by four major insurers to obtain the names of small businesses that register to join COVID-19 business interruption class actions, saying he did not want the companies contacting group members. 

A class action against the Northern Territory government has been sent back to the drawing board, with a judge striking out allegations that its funding of Aboriginal interpreting services discriminated against people in a remote Indigenous community.

KPMG has lost the latest round in its fight to transfer a class action over the collapse of steel giant Arrium from Victoria to NSW, with an appeals court finding that a group costs order made in the case could not travel across the border.

A group of surgeons who worked for The Cosmetic Institute have lost a second bid to declass a representative proceeding on behalf of 13,500 patients who claim they were injured by botched breast augmentation surgery.

A law firm that was replaced after feuding with its funder in a successful class action over Sydney’s light rail construction has lost a bid to keep $1.25 million in security for costs, after claiming it has a right to the money due to unpaid fees.

A judge has found Carnival PLC liable for failing to prevent a COVID-19 outbreak aboard the Ruby Princess cruise ship that left 28 people dead, but only awarded the lead applicant $4,000 for out-of-pocket expenses rather than the $360,000 in damages she sought. 

A judge overseeing a class action against NAB has ordered group members to be sent an unusual notice stating that the case has been run in a “wholly unsatisfactory manner” and said he will consider dismissing the action if it continues in the same vein.

Lender White Oak Commercial Finance will bring a novel claim against insurer Bond & Credit Company alleging it owed a duty of care to disclose an investigation into Greensill when it bought securities from the collapsed financier’s German-based bank.

The judge overseeing ex-commando Heston Russell’s defamation case against the ABC over reporting of alleged war crimes will be involved in assessing his costs after media reports put his lawyers’ fees at $2 million.  

The Indian government has lost its bid to dodge a $111.3 million arbitral award in a dispute with three Mauritian companies that invested in Indian satellites, with a judge finging the country waived its foreign state immunity.