Robert O’Neill

The state of Victoria has won its bid to prevent lawyers for a class action over Victoria’s COVID-19 hotel quarantine debacle from proofing lay witnesses, ahead of a criminal trial against the Department of Health, which is due to start in May.

A class action on behalf of businesses claiming harm from the 2020 hotel quarantine debacle has staved off the state of Victoria’s bid for a stay pending a criminal action against the Department of Health.

At caretaker at a Sydney private school has been awarded $3.1 million in damages after he was seriously injured in a workplace gas explosion, with five defendants including building contractors, certifiers and gas suppliers all found to be equally liable.