Competition & Consumer Protection
Dealer loses $9M suit against GM over decision to retire Holden brand
A former Holden dealer has lost a $9 million suit alleging General Motors misleadingly represented that it was “100% committed” to the line a few years before it decided to discontinue the brand.
Class Actions
‘Not appropriate’ to donate leftover funds in PFAS class actions to charity, says judge
A judge has ordered the administrator for two class actions over PFAS contamination that settled for $153 million to pay the leftover funds to group members rather than to charities, saying it was not appropriate “to go around making donations”.
Competition & Consumer Protection
Court asked to vary $10.7M freezing order over ‘highly unusual’ airport deal
A Dubai-based investor is seeking to vary "punitive" freezing orders won by a brokerage firm that claims he failed to repay a $10.7 million (US$7.2 million) debt over a "highly unusual" airport investment proposal.
Employment
University of NSW hit with $211K penalty for underpaying casual staff
The University of NSW has been hit with a $211,200 penalty after admitting to "systemic" underpayments of casual staff at its business school.
Personal injury
Personal injury lawyer’s ads warrant misconduct finding, bigger fine: tribunal
A tribunal has ordered a Queensland solicitor to pay $30,000 for advertising personal injury services, up from the $2,000 penalty the lawyer agreed to pay, saying it was "concerning" the lawyer claimed ignorance of a breach of the law.
Royal Commission
Virginia Bell to lead royal commission into Bondi terrorist attack
The Prime Minister has appointed former High Court Justice Virginia Bell to lead a royal commission into antisemitism in the wake of the Bondi terrorist attack, in which 15 were killed during Hanukkah celebrations.
Intellectual Property
‘Paradigm shift’: Otsuka says High Court must reverse patent extension ruling
Otsuka Pharmaceuticals has asked the High Court to overturn a decision revoking its Abilify patent extension, saying the ruling, which limited the extension-of term scheme to active substances only, will “lead to a groundswell of court proceedings”.
Competition & Consumer Protection
Seek, Employment Hero resolve misuse of market power lawsuit
A Federal Court suit by HR company Employment Hero accusing investor and rival Seek of misusing its market power has been resolved.
Class Actions
Energy class action applicant slugged with $32M in costs for failed case
A judge has ordered the lead applicant in a failed class action against Queensland utilities Stanwell and CS Energy, which was slated to be worth $1 billion, to pay $32.4 million in costs.
Construction
Dispute breaks out over Sorrento’s Continental Hotel
The purchaser of the site of the 108-room hotel Continental Hotel Sorrento has sued a consortium that rescued the development after it hit financial troubles, claiming it was excluded from the final stages of the receivership.
