COVID-19

Four proceedings over COVID-19 business interruption losses will be stripped of class action status, with a judge saying most of the common issues were already determined in test cases.

The top judge in Victoria who steered the Supreme Court through the COVID-19 pandemic is stepping down after 14 years on the bench. 

The Australian Grand Prix Corporation will pay $2.84 million in damages for losses incurred by concert organisers for the cancellation of the 2020 Melbourne Formula One cup and a related Robbie Williams concert during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Carnival PLC has denied that a passenger, whose husband contracted COVID-19 and had to be put on a ventilator, had a “horrible” time aboard the ill-fated Ruby Princess, in a class action’s appeal of a finding that she was only entitled to $4,000 in damages.

A judge has granted broad discovery to a shareholder class action against IAG over COVID-related disclosures, saying the documents sought were relevant to determining the likelihood the insurer knew of the risk that it would have to pay out business interruption claims covered by polices that referenced defunct legislation.

An ANZ employee has lost her application in the Fair Work Commission to work from home full time on the basis that she is over 55 years old, with a commissioner saying there was no “rational connection” between her age and the request. 

Several insurers have won a dispute with two Melbourne businesses about whether an industrial special risks policy can cover losses suffered during COVID-19 lockdowns, with a judge finding the policy did not respond just because there were recorded cases in Melbourne. 

Four insurers have argued that class actions over alleged business interruption losses during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic should be de-classed, with one insurer saying group members cannot “go behind” a Full Court decision denying coverage for certain policyholders.

The liquidator of a security firm that collapsed after being sued over Victoria’s hotel quarantine debacle has taken the firm’s former lawyers, Clyde & Co, to court.

A judge has raised concerns about bids to declass group proceedings over alleged business interruption losses during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, saying the thousands of policyholders who registered for the class actions might reap more from the cases than making claims directly with their insurers.