Competition & Consumer Protection
NSW Ports privatisation not shielded by crown immunity, says High Court
The High Court has found derivative crown immunity did not allow the NSW government to enter into alleged anti-competitive agreements when privatising two ports, disagreeing with a decision in a related case by the ACCC.
Competition & Consumer Protection
Mastercard risked $45M hit from RBA routing initiative, court hears
Mastercard risked losing half its revenue from retail interchange fees as a result of the Reserve Bank's least-cost routing initiative, and struck deals with top retailers to defend its core business, a court was told Wednesday.
Class Actions
Adani asks court to toss racial discrimination class action
Adani has asked the court to toss a class action by First Nations landowners over media statements made during a dispute over the Carmichael open cut mine in Queensland.
Energy & Natural Resources
Appeals court upholds finding that EnergyAustralia ‘in the construction industry’
EnergyAustralia has lost its appeal of a finding that it's on the hook for portable long service leave for maintenance workers at its Yallourn power station because its significant maintenance activities mean it's 'in the construction industry', a ruling that could affect energy, rail and telecommunications firms.
ASIC
Canva pays $792,000 for late financial reports
Online design tool Canva has paid $792,000 in infringement notices for allegedly failing to lodge financial reports on time for four of its companies.
Healthcare
Donors sue Monash IVF for transferring wrong embryo
A Western Australian couple has sued fertility services provider Monash IVF after the company implanted a woman with a different embryo than the one they had donated.
Employment
Union loses challenge to Opal Packaging’s drug testing policy
A union has lost an appeal of a decision which found packaging company Opal Packaging was allowed to reintroduce drug and alcohol testing of staff under a new methodology while a union challenge was on foot.
Class Actions
Trial in McDonald’s class action to deal with serious contravention claims
A judge has ruled that the initial trial in a union’s underpayments class action against McDonald’s will deal with a claim that it knowingly breached the Fair Work Act and that there was a systemic pattern of conduct.
Trials
Woolworths faced loss of status with Mastercard if it used EFTPOS, trial told
A trial judge has heard that Mastercard's top Australian executives discussed stripping Woolworths of strategic merchant status if the supermarket giant routed customer transactions through the cheaper EFTPOS network.
AI
Gen AI-using director can’t rep company, court says
A judge has found a director cannot represent his company in a legal dispute, noting his use of generative artificial intelligence in written submissions.
