Siobhan Kelly

The Melbourne Symphony has hit back at a pianist’s suit over a cancelled recital after he made impromptu comments about the war in Gaza, saying he had no right to make the unauthorised remarks. 

A class action against McDonald’s alleging workers were not given mandatory rest breaks has “gone backwards” after the fast food giant withdrew previously agreed facts, a court has heard. 

Former Ten journalist Tegan George has reached a settlement in a case claiming she suffered PTSD on the job, but will continue her separate lawsuit against the TV network for alleged sex discrimination.

The claims in two class actions alleging fast food giant KFC denied workers rest breaks are substantially similar but not identical, a court has heard, and whether or not the two cases are headed for a battle to survive remains to be seen.

A leading plaintiff law firm will file a competing class action against KFC before the end of the year alleging the fast food giant denied workers rest breaks, after Gordon Legal filed a group proceeding late last month, a court has heard.

A union has partially won a bid to exclude thousands of current and former members from a class action against McDonald’s, after losing a challenge that sought to ban all Fair Work group proceedings.

Ten wants to stay a sex discrimination claim brought by journalist Tegan George in light of separate personal injury proceedings seeking damages from the broadcaster over PTSD allegedly caused by reporting from the 2019-2020 bushfires.

The Full Federal Court has answered a question vexing the court for the past four years, ruling that class action judges have the power to make common fund orders at settlement that allow litigation funders to reap a percentage commission beyond their contractual entitlement. 

The Full Federal Court’s finding that the High Court did not extinguish the power of judges to make common fund orders on approval of class action settlements is the latest milestone in the evolution of Australian class action jurisprudence, experts say.

A judge has declined a union’s bid to throw out an employee class action against McDonald’s after the Full Federal Court confirmed that employee class actions are not precluded by the Fair Work Act.