Industries

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia has hit back at a $45 million lawsuit alleging it failed to provide thousands of employees with paid rest breaks for at least six years, saying it had no responsibility to schedule or roster the breaks.

A judge overseeing a beauty parade of two class actions against Beach Energy will hear competing bids for contingency fees by the plaintiffs’ firms before choosing which of them will have carriage of the case.

Ford is seeking an extended hearing of its appeal from a class action judgment in favour of 185,000 vehicle owners over their allegedly defective cars, saying a “significant excavation” of the ruling is now in order. 

A judge has awarded a Queensland motor vehicle assessor $18,400 in damages in a class action against Toyota over allegedly defective diesel filters in its cars that could see the automotive giant owe close to $2 billion to 260,000 car owners.

Logistics company GetSwift and its directors have dropped their challenge to a judgment that found the company breached its continuous disclosure obligations with its “PR-driven” approach to ASX statements.

A judge has allowed the plaintiffs in a lawsuit over a Myer joint venture to tender extra evidence, after a $100,000 miscalculation was discovered during cross-examination in the final days of a hearing.

Ben Roberts-Smith, who is suing Fairfax for defamation, has lost an appeal of a judge’s decision refusing cross-examination of his ex-wife over allegations she accessed his private emails.

Mosaic Brands has lost its appeal of a ruling ordering it to comply with a request for documents from the Australian Communications and Media Authority over alleged violations of the Spam Act. 

Debt collection agency A&M Group, trading as Debt Negotiators, has admitted it unduly harassed and coerced debtors by repeatedly contacting family, friends and employers and claiming they could face imprisonment.

Hall & Wilcox has appointed a new partner to join its real estate practice in Brisbane, the second partner appointment in as many months at the firm’s Queen Street offices.