Underpayments class actions against Coles and Woolworths want to expand their claims to cover a longer time period, which would leave the supermarket giants with even bigger remediation bills than the $780 million estimated in the wake of a finding that underpayments cannot be set off.
ANZ has agreed to pay $240 million in penalties to resolve four separate cases by the corporate regulator, including a record $80 million penalty for unconscionable conduct in its dealings with the federal government.
Defunct telecommunications company Jabiru Satellite can add new claims to its suit against major banks for withdrawing support for Australia’s first satellite, but it can’t put on a case that the lenders were “shadow” directors.
Coles and Woolworths estimate they will need to remediate underpaid workers up to $780 million, following a complex judgment in two class actions and regulatory proceedings handed down last week.
A judge has criticised the “unacceptably complex” trial of two regulatory cases and two underpayments class actions against Coles and Woolworths, delivering a ruling whose significance for the workers is not yet clear.
Court approval of a $50 million settlement in a class action against ANZ and superannuation trustee OnePath has been delayed, after 22,000 group members were excluded from an opt-out notice due to a problem with OnePath’s computing process.
A franchisee class action against United Petroleum over alleged loss-making Pie Face stores has been ordered to hand over $3.7 million in security, with a judge finding it was not likely to stultify the class action.
The fact that at least three funders are open to backing a franchisee class action against United Petroleum should doom the class action’s opposition to the petrol chain’s bid for $2.3 million in security, a court has heard.
A judge has criticised a law firm for allocating only two solicitors to its class action against United Petroleum over the installation of alleged loss-making Pie Face stores.
The law firm running a class action against ANZ and superannuation trustee OnePath wants a 29.4 per cent cut of the $50 million settlement, having run the case on a no win, no fee basis.