Justice Stephen Gageler

In a loss for Sky City Adelaide, the High Court has affirmed that electronic gaming credits should be taxed as revenue. putting it on the hook for an additional casino duty of $13.1 million. 

The High Court has rejected a liquidator’s appeal arguing that two NSW printing press companies’ joint right to sue could be pooled to pay off debts for the entire corporate group.

The High Court has rejected an appeal by Captain Cook College of a finding that it engaged in systemic unconscionable conduct by enrolling thousands of unsuitable students, finding courts are not constrained by factors the consumer law says it “may consider” in deciding if conduct rises to the level of unconscionability.

The High Court has rejected an appeal from a joint venture that provided work on Chevron’s Gorgon liquified natural gas project that argued the Western Australia appeals court lacked power to uphold a ruling that set aside an arbitration ruling in a $130 million dispute over the project.

The High Court has held that a contractor had a “prima facie entitlement” to recoup the costs of building an aircraft hangar in Cessnock, NSW, which it spent in reliance on the local government performing its obligations under their contract, in a case that clarifies how courts should assess reliance damages claims. 

The Full High Court will sit for the hearing of KPMG’s battle to transfer a Victoria class action to Sydney, as the applicant in the case raises a question as to the constitutional validity of the firm’s argument that the NSW Supreme Court is bound to keep a group costs order operative. 

The High Court has overturned a ruling that barred foreign passengers from a class action over the ill-fated Ruby Princess cruise in 2020, finding a class action waiver in the terms and conditions of their tickets was unenforceable under Australia’s consumer laws.

New High Court Chief Justice Stephen Gageler was lauded by a group of legal luminaries at a swearing in ceremony, where he was described as the “unbackable favourite” for the country’s highest legal post and “the judge’s judge”.

The High Court has refused to throw out a personal injury case over 55-year-old child sexual abuse claims, despite the death of the alleged perpetrator and most relevant witnesses, saying a permanent stay is a “measure of last resort”. 

The High Court has granted defunct online educator Captain Cook College special leave to appeal a finding that it engaged in systemic unconscionable conduct by enrolling thousands of unsuitable students, who accrued $60 million in debt but never finished their courses.