The Fair Work Commission has dismissed an appeal by the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union challenging a decision by a commissioner to not recuse herself from hearing a construction site dispute with Watpac after commenting that the union’s complaint about safety concerns at the site appeared to be a “smokebomb”.
NSW Ports is facing a new lawsuit over an allegedly anti-competitive agreement entered into with the NSW state government for the privatisation of Port Botany and Port Kembla, which is the subject of a separate case brought by the competition regulator.
The former chief financial officer of a unit of collapsed Gold Coast finance company Octaviar Investments is facing fraud charges for allegedly misappropriating more than $4.6 million in company funds for his personal use.
Novartis has launched an appeal following a ruling by IP Australia that a proposed patent for an oral form of its top-selling multiple sclerosis drug Gilenya is invalid for lack of inventive step.
An investor who successfully objected to an initial settlement of four class actions over the failed Willmott Forests managed investment scheme lost a bid to have his legal costs paid by the defendants, with a judge saying the objections were not the primary basis for his refusal to sign off on the agreement.
Westpac unit BankSA is in talks to resolve a class action alleging it failed to detect the fraud of convicted Ponzi schemer Michael Samra.
The government has won a victory following a lengthy trial in a class action brought on behalf of businesses alleging they were harmed when the Rudd Government cancelled a program that subsidised home insulation installations during the economic downturn.
Jetstar Airways has been ordered to pay a $1.95 million penalty after it admitted to making false and misleading representations about customers’ eligibility for refunds on cancelled flights.
Law firm Slater & Gordon is planning a national class action against the makers of kitchen stone benchtops on behalf of thousands of stonemasons who allegedly contracted silicosis when making the popular luxe kitchen surfaces.
La Trobe University has reached a settlement with the head of its law school, Dr Patrick Keyzer, to resolve legal action alleging it breached its workplace obligations when it suspended him over bullying complaints. The university dropped its disciplinary proceedings against Keyzer, with no adverse findings being made.