Vodafone has won its case against the ACCC over its proposed merger with rival telecommunications company TPG, with a judge ruling the tie-up would not substantially lessen competition and had a real chance of becoming a “competitive force” against the two dominant players in the market, Telstra and Optus.
Australian Finance Group’s proposed acquistion of rival Connective Group has raised red flags for the competition regulator, which says the tie-up would create Australia’s largest mortgage aggregator and could squeeze smaller players out.
A court has slashed the costs awarded to a Tucker & Cowen name partner in a lawsuit brought by the liquidators of failed fund manager Equititrust, citing a recent High Court ruling that found self-represented lawyers cannot recover their own expenses.
Elaine Stead, venture capitalist and former executive director of doomed fund manager Blue Sky Alternative Investments, has filed defamation proceedings against Nine-owned Fairfax over a series of articles criticising her role in the company’s collapse.
An Ashurst partner that argued a judge was “confused” when he decided to appoint liquidators to his luxury Point Piper home in a dispute with an ex-judge neighbour has lost his challenge to the ruling.
A Federal Court judge has ordered Westpac to pay a $9.15 million penalty after one of its financial advisers breached the best interests duty by giving customers bad advice that resulted in millions in losses.
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has taken legal action on another referral from the banking royal commission, dragging life insurer TAL to court for allegedly engaging in misleading and deceptive conduct in its handling of a claim for coverage.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has raised concerns about Asahi’s proposed $16 billion acquisition of Carlton & United Breweries, saying the deal would likely reduce competition in the cider market and could also impact on the beer market.
The competititon regulator has flagged concerns about the proposed merger of educational publishing giants Cengage and McGraw-Hill, saying it could substantially lessen competition and drive up textbook prices.
The head of Australia’s largest unlisted insurance broker, Coverforce, may face a future damages claim for misleading or deceptive conduct if a recent acquisition of former Suncorp unit Resilium is not reversed, a court has found.