Environment

A court has set aside former Federal Minister for Resources Keith Pitt’s decision to develop a nuclear waste facility in Napandee in South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula, saying a fair-minded observer may have perceived that Pitt was biased in selecting the site over two other proposed locations. 

A court has found that residents living near an allegedly loud and foul-smelling Graincorp oilseed factory in rural Victoria can band together to bring a class action suit.

A judge has rejected TPG-owned Anew Climate’s bid for default judgment against an Australian company that allegedly impersonated a US carbon offset developer in order to unlawfully receive payments under a $1 billion deal, saying “it’s not hard” to make the application under the correct rule.

A landmark case brought by a shareholder advocacy group accusing Santos of greenwashing will seek to argue the energy company misled the market by presenting its carbon offset programs as plans to reduce emissions.

A judge whose landmark rulings in climate change litigation have been hailed by environmental groups has been chosen to lead Australia’s peak law reform body.

A judge overseeing a $192.5 million settlement in an oil spill class action against PTTEP Australia on behalf of Indonesian seaweed farmers has balked at the “very large” costs sought by Maurice Blackburn for administering the deal, expressing concerns that class action costs are “getting out of control”.

Climate justice groups have launched a challenge to federal environment minister Tanya Plibersek’s decision to expand two proposed mega coal mines in NSW, arguing her refusal to accept the scientific evidence of climate risk was irrational and unlawful. 

A company backed by private equity giant TPG which was allegedly fooled into paying part of a $1 billion deal to the wrong company wants default judgment in a case against the accused scammer, but a judge has raised doubts about attempts to serve the lawsuit.

The last remaining class action against the Department of Defence over the use of alleged toxic firefighting foam at a military base in Jervis Bay has settled for $22 million, from which $5 million will be deducted for legal costs. 

Spain has foreshadowed a fresh High Court challenge claiming it is immune from proceedings brought by a renewable energy company and a Deutsche Bank subsidiary to enforce arbitration awards totalling $166.7 million related to changes to its renewable energy policies.