Cindy Cameronne

Legal experts say climate-related litigation will continue -- and even increase -- despite a judge's dismissal this week of a class action by Torres Strait Islanders alleging the government was negligent in failing to protect them from the harmful effects of climate change.

Cromwell Property Group has said it will cost $200 million to develop an office building in Canberra which will be leased to an unnamed federal government agency.

An appeals court has held that directors cannot be found guilty of unlawfully making a deal to prevent employees from receiving their entitlements if they believe they could be paid out under the Fair Entitlements Guarantee scheme.

A judge has found that the government owes no duty of care to Torres Strait Islanders to protect them against the effects of climate change, despite finding that there was a very real risk they could become “climate refugees”.

A law firm which brought several underpayments cases on behalf of junior doctors is investigating a potential class action against alcohol delivery service Jimmy Brings. 

Dyno Nobel has lost its bid to invalidate three of explosive manufacturer Orica’s patents for a wireless detonation device, with a judge finding it was liable for patent infringement. 

Toyota has lost its bid to subpoena Shopify Singapore for sales records relating to its allegations that Australian spare parts company OZI4x4 sold counterfeit tail lights and armrests. 

A long-running class action against the Murray Darling Basin Authority over alleged negligent water management, including the failure to consider the impacts of climate change, will head to trial next month, just weeks after the court issues judgment in another closely watched climate class action. 

A private equity fund is challenging a ruling that it acted in an “oppressive” and “unfairly prejudicial” way towards its managing director, who a judge found was invalidly sacked for standing in the way of a deal with her business partner’s son. 

Builder Acciona and consultant AECOM have been named as defendants in a class action on behalf of families of victims of a bus accident in Hunter Valley, NSW, facing allegations they were responsible for the construction and certification of the interchange where it occurred.