Industries

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has expressed concerns that France-based Louis Dreyfus’ proposed acquisition of ASX-traded cotton gin operator Namoi Cotton could substantially lessen competition and lead to higher prices for ginning services.

A class action against ANZ and former subsidiary OnePath has been given the green light to “significantly expand” its case against the big four bank, over three years after the case was first filed.

Activist organisations are seeking to challenge orders to hand up communications with the Environmental Defenders Office in its failed case against Santos over the $5.6 billion Barossa gas project, arguing there was no legitimate forensic purpose for the material sought. 

Sky News has taken its fight with Isentia to the Full Federal Court, after a judge found the the media monitor was not liable for copyright infringement despite the “wholesale copying” of content distributed to government clients.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission is investigating ANZ’s dealings in its role as risk manager of 10-year government treasury bonds worth $14 billion. 

A judge has given a poor prognosis to the eSafety Commissioner’s case seeking to have X Corp remove posts that depict a stabbing of a bishop at a Sydney church,  calling it an alarming and unreasonable attempt to exert control over activities abroad.

A former HWL Ebsworth client has lost his argument that the firm must reimburse him for $22.8 million in expenses and interest after a judge found the law firm was negligent in advising on a joint venture contract for a Sydney land development, which allegedly lost him $130 million. 

Collapsed construction and maintenance company General Trade Industries has lost its bid to revive abandoned claims against AGL in a nearly four-year old contract case over work on two Queensland gas plants, with a judge finding the company has had “more than a sufficient opportunity to plead its case”.

A law firm investigating a group proceeding against non-bank lender Latitude over a data breach last year has called on the information commissioner to give an update on a related class action-style complaint.

The funder behind two class actions against Uber, which have settled for $272 million, stands to make a tidy sum if the settlement holds up at a court approval hearing.