Competition & Consumer Protection

The Full Federal Court has found it was “abundantly clear” on the evidence before a trial judge that funeral expenses insurance provider ACBG misrepresented to Aboriginal customers that it was Aboriginal owned or managed, but found ASIC contributed to the error with its bad pleadings.

A judge has ordered soft class closure in a class action against Suncorp unit AAI over allegedly worthless insurance, saying that knowing how many of the 200,000 group members are likely to participate would assist in resolving the case.

A judge has ordered soft class closure ahead of mediation in a class action against five major banks over alleged foreign exchange rate-rigging, saying the applicant’s subjective view on what will assist mediation should not be imposed on the banks.

A judge has questioned the applicant’s opposition to soft class closure in a class action accusing five major banks of rate-rigging, a measure the banks say could save “tens of millions” in legal expenses. 

The applicant in a competition class action against AGL Energy has failed to find another funder to back the case after the original funder that bankrolled the case withdrew its support.

Online auction business Grays has agreed to pay a $10 million penalty for engaging in misleading and deceptive conduct by posting hundreds of descriptions of cars for sale on its website that contained incorrect information.

A judge has sentenced the former CEO of Bingo Industries to two years’ imprisonment to be served in the community and imposed $30 million in penalties against the waste company for a cartel arrangement with rival Aussie Skips, which copped fines of $3.5 million and an 18 month’ intensive corrections order for its boss. 

A judge has ruled hearsay evidence given by Ashurst solicitors is sufficient for Racing Victoria to bring a claim for legal professional privilege over documents ordered to be produced to Racing NSW, which alleges it was the victim of an anti-competitive plot.

Chinese video camera company Bolin has won its bid for an urgent anti-anti-suit injunction against Australian competitor BirdDog, with a judge finding there was a risk of “irreparable prejudice” if Bolin lost its right to bring its claims.

A Melbourne pawnbroker is facing a class action over alleged “unjust transactions” involving loans that were given in exchange for customers’ sentimental items and with annual interest rates equivalent to 480 per cent.