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‘Solicitors love them’: Judge rails against discovery ‘tsunami’ in class actions
The judge overseeing a class action against Westpac over superannuation fees has criticised costly discovery processes that produce a "tsunami of material", most of which is never used at trial.
‘The Ben Hur of cartel class actions’: Rate-rigging case comes under attack
Five investment banks facing a class action for their alleged rigging of foreign exchange rates have slammed the "unclear" and "incredibly vague" case, saying it contains "literally trillions" of possible variations of the cartel agreement allegedly entered into.
Westpac defends AUSTRAC disclosures in shareholder class action
Westpac has denied claims in a shareholder class action filed in the wake of AUSTRAC proceedings alleging 23 million breaches of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism finance laws, saying the information the class action says it should have disclosed to shareholders "did not exist".
Over and out: Chief Justice says protocol needed to prevent overtalking in virtual trials
The Chief Justice of the Federal Court says a system is needed to ensure parties don't interrupt one another during virtual hearings, and noted the increase in online hearings brought on by the coronavirus may also free judges up to hear cases outside their registries.
Westpac responds to class action, says members benefited from ‘high’ super fees
Two Westpac units have defended their choice to charge higher superannuation fees, saying in their responses to a Slater and Gordon class action that customers received numerous positive benefits in exchange for the charges.
Corporate cop looks to bolster Rio Tinto case with US evidence from PwC witness
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission is seeking evidence from US proceedings in its case against Rio Tinto alleging the mining giant misled shareholders about a Mozambique mining company purchased for US$4.2 billion.
Barclays, other banks in forex cartel class action must produce US case docs
A judge has ordered a group of banks facing a competition class action over alleged foreign exchange rate-rigging to hand over documents they produced as part of settlement agreements in class actions in the US and Canada.
Funder takes all in Equititrust settlement with KPMG, creditors get nothing
The approval of a settlement between the liquidators of failed fund manager Equititrust and auditor KPMG has been postponed to allow time to notify creditors and unitholders that they won't see a cent, an outcome the judge called "a long way from litigation in any traditional sense".
PTTEP loses bid to stop farmers using the word ‘oil’ in Montarra oil spill class action trial
A judge overseeing a trial in a class action over the Montarra oil spill has ruled it necessary for Indonesian seaweed farmers to use the word “oil” in their evidence, after oil company PTTEP tried to argue they were not qualified to identify the substance.
Farmers can’t use the word ‘oil’ in Montarra oil spill class action, PTTEP says
Oil company PTTEP has objected to Indonesian seaweed farmers using the word “oil” in their evidence in the Montarra oil spill class action, arguing they are not qualified to identify oil.