Companies

Google has argued there would be a “devastating” effect on the internet if the High Court upholds a judgment awarded to gangland lawyer George Defteros that found the tech giant liable for linking to an allegedly defamatory article.

Telstra is partially liable for a $2.6 million telecommunications bungle that “caused several catastrophic crashes” and slashed the calling capacity of a Melbourne-based telemarketing business by more than 60 per cent.

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia has been hit with a $45 million lawsuit by the Finance Sector Union for allegedly failing to provide thousands of employees with paid rest breaks for at least six years.

Trial plans in accused war criminal Ben Roberts-Smith’s defamation case against Nine have hit another roadblock because of COVID-19 restrictions, less than two weeks before the hearing is set to resume, with the media giant now suggesting a move to Western Australia.

The battle of the bunnies has begun as London-based soft toy designer Jellycat sues Kmart for stocking an alleged knockoff of its eminently popular ‘Bashful Bunny’ plush toy.

Christian Porter and silk Sue Chrysanthou have been ordered to pay $430,200 in legal costs to Jo Dyer, a friend of the woman who accused Porter of rape, after she succeeded in having the barrister removed from the former attorney-general’s defamation lawsuit against the ABC.

Embattled wealth advisor Dixon Advisory has filed for administration, saying its potential liability in two class actions and a $7.2 million penalty it agreed to pay in ASIC proceedings mean it is likely to become insolvent in the future.

A judge has rejected an art collector’s bid to enforce a settlement in litigation against the publisher of the Sunday Telegraph over an allegedly defamatory story concerning his purchase of a painting by Australian artist Del Kathryn Barton, finding he had lied about the story being false.

Telstra is liable for the “sickening” conduct of a former employee who accessed confidential contact information to launch a four-year campaign of sexual harassment against his next-door neighbours, a new lawsuit alleges.

Forum Finance director Bill Papas’ cousin has hit back at Westpac’s allegations he wrongfully received $720,000 from the alleged fraudster in violation of freezing orders made in the bank’s lawsuit, which seeks to recoup $294 million paid into an alleged fraudulent scheme.