Barristers

After more than a year-and-a-half of virtual trials, Australia’s barristers have adapted and come up with the best techniques to maintain an edge when cross-examining witnesses in the virtual courtroom.

The Australian Taxation Office has won an urgent bid to freeze the assets of James Raptis and 11 associated entities, after accusing the Queensland property developer of dodging $109.5 million in taxes since 2000.

Insurers are misleading policyholders about class actions which seek compensation for those denied business interruption coverage for COVID-related shutdowns, a court has heard.

A judge has told a Colonial First State Investments unit to provide information about its financial position to the lead applicant in a class action and criticised the company for failing to disclose that it had transferred its liabilities after the class action was launched.

AMP has flagged a potential stay of a lawsuit filed by a Sydney-based financial planner against that overlaps with a class action brought by advisors alleging they suffered financial losses from changes in the company's buyer of last resort policy.

Individuals challenging public health orders mandating COVID-19 vaccinations for certain workers in New South Wales have told a court “the line was crossed” when the state government threatened their livelihoods.

Westpac wants Forum Finance founder Bill Papas held in contempt of court, but the bank has hit a snag in serving its motion on the missing Papas, saying he dropped his lawyers without telling them the address of his current residence in Greece.

A judge has criticised Qantas and the Transport Workers' Union for their "not particularly helpful" public comments about whether or not ground staff will be reinstated upon resolution of their long-running outsourcing dispute.

Former SAS soldier Ben Roberts-Smith is fighting to shield medical records Fairfax says should be made public to “safeguard open justice”, as trial in his defamation case against the publisher faces further delay due to COVID-19 border restrictions.

Health experts have told a court hearing a challenge to a requirement that certain workers get the COVID-19 jab that vaccinations are an effective tool in the fight against the coronavirus, despite the global surge of ‘breakthrough’ infections caused by the outbreak of the highly-infectious Delta strain.