Kylie Nomchong

The NSW government’s bid for the names of 2,316 registered group members in a class action over strip searches at music festivals has been knocked back by the court.

Actor Christie Whelan Browne has resolved a lawsuit against theatre company Oldfield Entertainment alleging it violating the Sex Discrimination Act by subjecting her to sexual discrimination and harassment by fellow cast member Craig McLachlan during its 2014 production of the Rocky Horror Show.

The lead plaintiff in a class action alleging NSW Police conducted illegal strip searches at music festivals has argued the state cannot rely on a defence that the searches were a reasonable exercise of power, after a recent judgment found the defence does not apply to unlawful arrests.

The NSW government is seeking to strike out class action claims for exemplary damages, arguing allegations that police conducted strip searches at music festivals as a matter of routine “lack specificity at every level”. 

A judge hearing a class action against the New South Wales government and police commissioner over allegedly illegal strip searches at music festivals has criticised the state for failing to comply with court orders on time. 

The theatre company behind a 2014 production of the Rocky Horror picture show has lost its bid to throw out actor Christie Whelan’s claims that she was victimised after allegedly suffering sexual harassment by fellow actor Craig McLachlan. 

A judge has warned the NSW government that the court does not make orders “subject to [its] internal policies” after the state failed to comply with orders to hand over documents in a class action over police strip searches.

Dozens of Macquarie advisers who previously won a $330,000 payday against the bank have been ordered back to court for a rehearing of their long-running case over employment entitlements.

The NSW government has struck back at a class action over allegedly unlawful police strip searches at 50 music festivals, saying the state is immune from personal injury claims because police officers had a reasonable suspicion group members were in possession of illegal drugs. 

The NSW government will move to de-class a representative proceeding over police strip searches at 50 music festivals, after a judge cast doubt on whether the case should be run as a class action.