An investigation by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has come under fire by the banks and directors targeted in a criminal case over alleged cartel conduct that claim the regulator “contaminated” key evidence and improperly used material supplied by ASIC.
IOOF subsidiary Australian Executor Trustees has been hit with an $80.6 million judgment after breaching its duty as trustee in the sale of a 42,000 hectare timber plantation by collapsed forestry giant Gunns Group, and it can’t pass the liability on to Spark Helmore, despite the law firm’s inadequate advice.
Fifteen former Macquarie Bank financial advisers are looking to expand their $2.6 million wages case against the bank, seeking evidence around allegedly unreasonable and unlawful deductions from their commissions.
Lawyers for former Citigroup executive Stephen Roberts have complained that prosecutors have failed to provide a “shred of material” to explain his alleged involvement in a criminal cartel relating to ANZ’s $2.5 billion capital raising, as the defendants fight to grill Crown witnesses before trial.
Three syndicates of Lloyd’s London have failed in their bid to toss a case brought by National Australia Bank seeking £357 million ($655 million) in insurance claims relating to two consumer redress schemes in the UK.
A former BlueScope global health and safety manager wants to add an indirect gender discrimination claim to his employment case against the steel giant, alleging he was overlooked for a senior role because the company wanted to fill its diversity quota.
The prudential regulator is standing by its decision to bring proceedings against IOOF for alleged breaches of superannuation duties, despite criticism that such a “highly litigious regulatory environment” is placing immense pressure on financial services executives.
The CEO of Sydney’s 2GB and Melbourne’s 3AW radio stations, Adam Lang, has sued the publisher of the Sunday Telegraph for defamation over articles he claims portrayed him as an incompetent, sadistic executive who created a toxic work atmosphere.
APRA’s purely documentary case against troubled fund manager IOOF has been dismissed by the Federal Court as “unpersuasive”, “fundamentally inadequate” and “tenuous in the extreme”, in another major blow to financial services regulators pursuing action in the wake of the banking royal commission.
Australian rail freight operator Aurizon has launched a lawsuit against US-based shortline railroad firm Genesee & Wyoming seeking damages over the impending sale of its Australian assets.