Victoria

A judge has questioned whether an investor in failed Banksia Securities can bring a case against a court-appointed receiver over his support for a class action settlement later found to involve deception by a team of lawyers. 

The receiver for Banksia Securities — the failed lender at the centre of a scandal-ridden class action — has argued a new case accusing him of serious misconduct is vexatious and wants a court to release him from the claims.

Real estate investment trust Dexus Industria REIT has agreed to acquire two warehouses in Melbourne’s south-east for a combined price of $47.5 million.

The Australian Financial Review has hit back at a defamation suit by the owner of Melbourne jazz venue Bird’s Basement over articles about a former employee’s now-discontinued suit, saying the articles were a fair report of public documents.

A Melbourne developer has sued its director, alleging that he unlawfully issued himself shares in an industrial estate development in Epping using a “simulated” signature, a claim which the director denies. 

Shine Lawyers has come under fire from a judge, after the firm filed an application to materially vary a 24.5 per cent group costs order in a settled shareholder class action against EML Payments.

Intrapac unit Brencorp has filed a suit against Casey Group, alleging the rival property developer devised an “underhand” deal to swindle it out of the acquisition of a golf club in southeast Melbourne.

A landlord in eastern Melbourne has filed proceedings alleging a tenant breached its lease by converting a cafe into a smoking lounge.

Paper company Opal has sued the Victorian government for $402 million in damages, claiming it was forced to close the Maryvale paper mill after the state government breached an agreement to provide it with a stable supply of wood.

The builder of the Duke apartment complex in the inner city Melbourne suburb of Collingwood wants a court to block the property developer from accessing a bank guarantee as their dispute over the project continues.