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Insurers defeat appeals in COVID-19 business interruption test cases
An appeals court challenge by a group of small businesses seeking coverage under business interruption insurance policies for losses flowing from COVID-19 restrictions has largely failed.
‘Capricious’ conduct by Morrison government dooms Beetaloo gas contract
A judge has voided contracts between the Morrison government and a subsidiary of Empire Energy for gas exploration in the Beetaloo Basin after finding the decision to enter the agreement in the midst of litigation was "legally unreasonable or capricious".
On trial for ‘parody of court hearing’, judge says he made a mistake
A Federal Circuit Court judge has hit back at accusations he conducted “the grossest parody of a court hearing” when he unlawfully imprisoned a Queensland man for contempt of court, telling a trial “he is a human being [who] made a mistake”.
Top judge did ‘unexplained violence’ to Star’s business interruption policy, Full Court told
In rejecting a bid by The Star Entertainment Group to recoup losses stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Court's Chief Justice did "real and unexplained violence" to the construction of a business interruption policy the casino giant had taken out with Chubb, the Full Court has heard.
Beetaloo gas exploration was approved to ‘stymie’ climate change case, judge told
The Morrison government decision's to enter into a contract with a subsidiary of Empire Energy for gas exploration in the Beetaloo Basin was an effort to "stymie" climate change litigation brought against the federal resources minister, a court has heard.
Insurers largely prevail in second COVID-19 test cases
Insurers have largely succeeded in challenging COVID-19 business interruption losses claimed by a group of small businesses, in an important second test case that could save the industry billions of dollars.
High Court finds media responsible for third-party Facebook comments
The High Court has found that media outlets are responsible for the publication of defamatory third-party comments on news stories posted to their Facebook pages, upholding a landmark decision by the NSW Supreme Court.
Lockdown didn’t trigger business interruption policy in COVID-19 test case, IAG tells court
Lockdown orders by the Victorian government and an international travel ban in place last year during the first wave of COVID-19 did not trigger a business interruption clause in an IAG policy at the centre of a test case brought by insurers, a judge heard Monday.
AGs should get chance to intervene in Judge Vasta lawsuit ASAP, judge says
A Federal Court judge has said he will be "quite unimpressed" with 11th hour bids to notify state Attorneys-General of constitutional disputes in a wrongful imprisonment lawsuit against Federal Circuit Court Judge Salvatore Vasta, ordering the parties to act swiftly to let the states intervene in the case.
Insurers’ challenge to COVID-19 business interruption claims rejected by High Court
The High Court has rejected a bid by a group of insurers to weigh in on a test case against COVID-19 related claims in business interruption policies, following a high stakes loss in the NSW Court of Appeal, which found an infectious disease exclusion did not apply.