Sophie Callan

A class action against the Murray Darling Basin Authority over alleged negligent water management is seeking to claim a funder’s commission as damages after a judge refused the first-ever such bid in a separate group proceeding. 

Companies and government entities paid out less to settle class actions in 2023 than in the previous two years, with no mega settlements hitting their pocketbooks.

A resident of the Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community has been granted more time to decide whether he wants to bring a late bid to opt out of a class action after a $22 million settlement over PFAS contamination was approved, but a judge has warned he will face a high bar. 

A judge has rejected a bid by in-fighting group members to bar children and non-Aboriginal residents in the Wreck Bay community from receiving a cut of an approved $22 million settlement over alleged PFAS contamination.

A judge has blessed a $132.7 million settlement and a $33 million common fund order in a class action over toxic firefighting foam, saying he was “not vexed” by whether he had power to grant the funder’s payout despite the Full Court having reserved on the contentious issue. 

A judge has approved a $22 million settlement in a class action on behalf of a First Nations community that alleges their land was contaminated by toxic firefighting foam at a military base in Jervis Bay, citing the “very real” risks the case would face at trial. 

The last remaining class action against the Department of Defence over the use of alleged toxic firefighting foam at a military base in Jervis Bay has settled for $22 million, from which $5 million will be deducted for legal costs. 

One of the two remaining class actions against the Department of Defence over the use of alleged toxic firefighting foam at military bases across the country has settled for $132.7 million on the eve of trial, with the final case going back to mediation.

Unless the parties can reach a last minute settlement over the weekend, trial in a class action against the Department of Defence over the use of alleged toxic firefighting foam at military bases across the country will begin Monday.

A judge has expressed his “frustration” that a class action against the government over the use of alleged toxic firefighting foam has not settled despite the resolution of similar group proceedings almost three years ago.