Australia’s four biggest lenders had an expensive year in court last year, but with cases spilling over into the new year and the fallout from the Royal Commission expected to see a litigation blitz by regulators and class action lawyers, much more is in store for the banks in 2019. Here, Lawyerly takes a look at the court cases facing ANZ Banking Group, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, National Australia Bank and Westpac Banking Corp so far this year.
Defunct financial adviser Dover Financial is seeking evidence to bolster its argument that no clients were harmed by a liability waiver that’s at the centre of a lawsuit by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.
In observance of the Christmas holiday, Lawyerly will be closed from 24 December through 4 January. We will resume regular daily publishing and newsletter distribution on Monday, 7 January. If you have any trouble accessing your Lawyerly account or wish to purchase a subscription during this time, please email subscriptions@lawyerly.com.au.
Digital ad startup Unlockd was forced to drop its competition lawsuit against Google in October after entering administration, but the issue may yet be revived by the regulator, which has revealed a misuse of market power probe is underway, and it has the contours of the startup’s case.
The director of property spruiker We Buy Houses has appealed a record $6 million for misleading property investors with claims they could learn to buy real estate for $1.
Embattled wealth manager AMP has revealed its fees for no service scandal could cost the firm more than $1 billion in customer remediation, and that it might be facing another fees scandal.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission plans to reject an application for four certification trade marks by eco-friendly plastic packaging manufacturer OxoPak, saying Thursday the marks could mislead consumers about the environmental sustainability of the products.
A Dick Smith shareholder has lost his bid to bring a separate proceeding against the failed home goods retailer while two class actions are afoot.
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission claims Rio Tinto’s former CFO was referring to the write down for the reserves for two coal assets that were part of a $4 billion acquisition of Rio Tinto Coal Mozambique when he sent an email to the company CEO in January 2012 that contained the phrase “worse by far than expected”.
The Morrison Government plans to block the $13 billion acquisition of Australian energy infrastructure business APA Group by a Hong Kong group of companies led by CK Group, saying the deal was not in the national interest.