The state of Victoria wants $24 million in security for costs from the applicant in a class action over its COVID-19 hotel quarantine fiasco, citing concerns about recovering costs from the US-based Quinn Emanuel entity that’s funding the case.
One of the firms that secured a record $230 million settlement in a class action on behalf of NSW doctors is still on the case, firing off a class action against Sydney’s St Vincent’s Hospital for allegedly underpaying junior doctors.
A law firm partner working on a shareholder class action over the collapse of Blue Sky Alternative Investments has faced cross-examination by counsel for auditor EY over alleged delays in seeking to amend the case.
A subsidiary of gold mining giant Newmont has been hit with a class action alleging residents near its Cadia mine in Orange, NSW have been exposed to a “toxic trifecta” of air, land and water pollution.
Mercedes-Benz has hit back at a class action over alleged emissions cheating, denying its cars were fitted with defeat devices and arguing any engine features found to act as such devices were needed for safety.
The law firm running a class action against Origin Energy has argued the case is “financially unviable” if it is stuck with a 30 per cent contingency fee ordered by the court, in the first-ever application to vary a group costs order.
Banksia Securities investors who agreed to drop their case alleging breaches linked to a scandal-ridden class action have been hit with costs, with a judge saying the case was “plainly” not for the benefit of all group members.
Supermarket giant Coles and fast-food chain Hungry Jack’s are among companies facing class actions by South Australian employees over Sunday pay entitlements.
Tesla can’t escape a case by a motorist over his car’s self-driving capabilities, despite overlap with a class action, with a tribunal saying there was no abuse of process while the driver could not opt out of the group proceeding.
There is no reason to believe that in the absence of procedural or legislative reform, class actions will not continue to be unduly protracted and prohibitively expensive. Here are 10 reform proposals to better facilitate access to justice, writes barrister and UNSW adjunct professor of law, Dr Peter Cashman.