Analysis
New unfair trading practices ban will add to class action arsenal
A new ban on unfair trading practices could significantly broaden the scope of consumer class actions, with experts predicting plaintiff firms will use the reforms to pursue claims over conduct that has until now fallen outside the reach of misleading or deceptive conduct laws.
Class Actions
Sydney sinking homes class action settles on eve of trial
A class action on behalf of Sydney homeowners who allege their homes are sinking into the ground has reached an in-principle settlement, two weeks out from trial.
Telecommunications
Class action lawyers, regulators circle as Telstra outage affects 639 Triple Zero calls
Telstra could face a multimillion dollar fine from the telco regulator and a class action investigation after Wednesday's nationwide outage that affected over 600 emergency calls and downed the EFTPOS network.
Employment
Cor Cordis loses fight over ex-managing partner’s fraud claims
Cor Cordis has lost its bid to strike out claims by the former chair of the insolvency firm that it "confected" reductions in work in progress to avoid paying his full retirement entitlements.
KPMG
ASIC launches review of Big 4 audit complaints amid KPMG scandal
The fallout from the KPMG leaks scandal has widened, with the corporate regulator launching a review of audit complaints to the Big 4 accounting firms.
ASIC
ASIC seeks penalties against adviser linked to First Guardian
The corporate regulator is seeking penalty and disqualification orders against a financial adviser whose businesses allegedly earned $37 million for spruiking the collapsed First Guardian fund, a court has heard.
Coles
Jellycat accuses Coles of selling knockoff plush Christmas toys
Viral plush toy maker Jellycat has fired off an IP suit against Coles, claiming the supermarket sold poorer quality, copycat versions of its popular anthropomorphic Christmas tree and wreath soft toys.
Trials
Keybridge directors deny board minutes about $4.75M CEO bonus a ‘concoction’
Three Keybridge Capital directors have rejected claims that board minutes documenting a $4.75 million bonus to former CEO Nicholas Bolton were a post-hoc "concoction”, saying they accurately reflected an agreement reached during a nine-minute meeting in 2023.
Defamation
Mark Latham says High Court needs to resolve ‘open conflict’ on serious harm threshold
Former One Nation politician Mark Latham wants the High Court to overturn a ruling that found he defamed independent Sydney MP Alex Greenwich in a homophobic tweet and owes $140,000 in damages, saying the Full Court erred in construing the threshold for serious harm.
Class Actions
Judge grills NT housing class action after applicant’s death
A judge has questioned counsel for a class action over public housing in the Northern Territory, grilling the barrister as to why the legal team had no contingency plan following the death of the lead applicant.
