Judges

A judge has scolded former directors of Mosaic Brands after they failed to comply with orders made last week ahead of a 10-day public examination as special purpose liquidators investigate $196 million in potential insolvent trading claims and directors duty breach claims.

The Full Federal Court has found that two NRL fans were defamed by Nine presenters' comments that implied they were involved in racially abusive behaviour, and remitted the matter for consideration of the broadcaster's defences.

After getting the nod from a judge, the trustee for the Dexus bloc of shareholders in airport operator APAC has lodged an appeal of a finding that it committed a material and irremediable breach of the owners' deed.

Property manager Fortius has lost its bid to bring negligence claims under NSW's Design and Building Practitioners Act against certifier City Plan Services in defects litigation over the One Central Park development in Sydney.

The owner of Northcote Shopping Centre in Melbourne has lost its bid for leave to appeal in a fight with budget supermarket Aldi over whether clauses imposing a cap on rental increases is contrary to the Retail Leases Act.

A former director of Melbourne-based Aviation 3030 has failed to overturn a finding that the liquidators of the landbanking company could recover half of a $3.4 million landholder duty liability from him.

A shareholder class action has won access to reports by FTI Consulting and KPMG that were commissioned by water remediation company Phoslock, with a judge finding they were not created for the dominant purpose of providing legal advice.

A judge has approved a $550 million settlement in a class action over the Morrison government’s Robodebt scheme but has halved a funder’s payout to $35 million, despite arguments that it was unprecedented to award a single digit percentage commission. 

A judge has ruled that the trustee for Dexus' airport fund is justified in challenging a court decision that forces a compulsory sale of a $4.5 billion interest in the operator of Melbourne Airport.

The unitholders of defunct developer 1A Eden are facing a suit by a liquidator to recover a $2.5 million judgment in favour of a North Sydney apartment building's owners corporation.