A judge has voided contracts between the Morrison government and a subsidiary of Empire Energy for gas exploration in the Beetaloo Basin after finding the decision to enter the agreement in the midst of litigation was “legally unreasonable or capricious”.
A class action against Irish insurer Zurich Insurance Plc by unit owners of the defective New Zealand-based Victopia Apartments can proceed in Australia after the NSW Supreme Court ruled the case could not be filed elsewhere.
The Morrison government decision’s to enter into a contract with a subsidiary of Empire Energy for gas exploration in the Beetaloo Basin was an effort to “stymie” climate change litigation brought against the federal resources minister, a court has heard.
A judge has rebuked the Morrison government for approving a gas exploration contract with a subsidiary of Empire Energy in the Beetaloo basin without notifying the environmental organisation leading a climate change lawsuit over the project.
The Full Federal Court has tossed an appeal by Treasury Wine Estates claiming that Maurice Blackburn and barrister Guy Donnellan breached their obligations in preparing the pleadings in a current shareholder class action against the global winemaker.
Treasury Wine Estates has accused plaintiffs law firm Maurice Blackburn and barrister Guy Donnellan of “taking advantage” of their privileged position by using evidence discovered in a settled class action to file a second case against the wine maker.
The NSW Court of Appeal has passed on the question of whether a judge can make a common fund order when a class action settles to ensure a certain return to litigation funders, but the issue is not going away, whatever the Federal Court’s decision in a parallel case.
Luxury car maker BMW has told the NSW Court of Appeal that the courts do not have power to make common fund orders at any stage of a group proceeding, arguing that such orders would distort the scope of the class action regime by encouraging litigation funders to pursue lawsuits.