Matt Sherman

A United Nations special rapporteur has sought to intervene in three Federal Court cases opposing the federal environment minister's decision to approve gas giant Woodside's North West Shelf extension.

Two elections and three different Environment Ministers later, and a heritage application to protect Murujuga rock art from Woodside's activities on the North West Shelf remains undecided -- a delay blasted by a judge as unreasonable and perverse.

Another failed class action is headed to the Full Court, with a case against ex-CBA unit Count Financial appealing a ruling that found advisors did not breach their duty to act in their clients' best interest.

An activist group which unsuccessfully challenged the government’s approval of a wind farm in North Queensland because of its effects on rare birds has lost its bid to dodge costs on public interest grounds, with a judge saying both sides sought to advance the public interest.

The environment minister has argued there is no “screaming urgency” in hearing a traditional custodian’s legal challenge to Woodside’s bid to extend its North West Shelf gas project by 40 years. 

A judge has dismissed a class action against ex-CBA unit Count Financial alleging that it breached it duty to act in clients’ best interests and ensure adviser remuneration was free of conflict. 

An activist group has lost a challenge to the approval of a 69-turbine wind farm in North Queensland that it says ran afoul of international treaties to protect migratory birds, with a judge finding no grounds to review the decision.

A $59 million settlement has been reached in a long-running class action accusing five major banks of foreign exchange rate-rigging.

A judge has overturned energy minister Chris Bowen's refusal to greenlight energy company Seadragon’s offshore wind farm project off the coast of Gippsland.

An environment advocacy group is seeking special leave from the High Court to appeal a decision that allowed the extension of two Mach Energy and Whitehaven Coal mega coal mines in NSW, saying courts have "enfeebled" environmental legislation.