The Commonwealth Bank of Australia has refused to provide sought-after documents to the lead applicants of a joint class action against it until AUSTRAC grants permission, citing concerns over possible criminal breaches if it hands over the material without the agency’s approval.
A hearing on the validity of border closures by Western Australia and Queensland should be pushed off while WA’s expert responds to an urgent request by Victoria’s health authorities to help that state deal with its coronavirus outbreak, the Federal Court has been told.
A judge has appointed special purpose liquidators to investigate the affairs of failed VET provider Phoenix Institute and its directors after the Commonwealth complained of “a difficult working relationship” with the training company’s current liquidators.
A transgender woman has won a preliminary legal fight with the Australia Press Council over claims the organisation discriminated against her in dismissing her complaint about a news article naming her as the accused behind a “terrifying 7/11 axe attack”.
The parents of an Australian national who was killed aboard Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 have successfully appealed a decision blocking them from participating in the settlement of a class action, with an appeals court judge describing as “disturbing” the conduct of their legal team in the group proceeding.
Two law firms that filed competing shareholder class actions against construction giant Boral have asked the court to permanently stay the other’s proceeding, after the judge overseeing the matter said he might wait until the High Court’s ruling on the AMP class action beauty parade before deciding which class action should move forward.
Global animal health company Zoetis has told the lead applicants in a class action over horse vaccines to “put up or shut up” and produce evidence disclosing an alleged scientific link between the hendra virus vaccine and certain alleged adverse side effects.
A Qantas engineer who used his company-issued iPad to access pornographic material while at work has lost his unfair dismissal case.
The lead applicants in a class action against The Cosmetic Institute have added 11 cosmetic surgeons to the lawsuit, alleging they conducted breast augmentation surgery in an “incompetent” manner.
A referee has been appointed to examine the fees for the liquidators of stockbroker Halifax Investment Services, which collapsed in December 2018, trapping around $200 million in client funds.