The Murray-Darling Basin Authority will soon make its case directly to an appeals court that it can rely on defences limiting its liability to farmers in a class action alleging negligent oversight of the river system, a question that could have implications for other climate change cases against government agencies.
IP Australia has refused to register a patent acquired by Elanco Australasia from Bayer covering a lice treatment, after amendments failed to address findings that the patent lacked an inventive step.
The ACCC has brought Federal Court action against major milk processor Lactalis Australia, the regulator’s first case for breaches of the dairy code of conduct.
Two shareholder class actions against sandalwood producer Quintis that reached an in principle settlement over a year ago are moving forward following a protracted dispute over insurance, with the lead applicants getting approval to file proposed amended pleadings.
A dozen group members can opt out of Maurice Blackburn’s Roundup class action against Monsanto and switch to a competing class action being run by Sydney-based LHD Lawyers that was closed and temporarily stayed in May last year.
Plaintiffs in a class action against Advanta Seeds rejected a $10 million offer to settle the litigation, which was later dismissed by a judge.
Dairy co-operative Fonterra has lost a bid to keep the company’s name out of the domain of a website to be set up for a class action brought by farmers alleging they were unlawfully underpaid when Fonterra slashed milk prices and sought a “clawback” in 2016.
A former CEO of a global pharmaceutical company has lost his appeal of a ruling throwing out a lawsuit he brought against his former employer after he was terminated in the wake of accusations that he harassed staff and using a syringe to stab multiple employees.
Queensland and NSW sorghum farmers have appealed a ruling that shut down its class action brought over allegedly contaminated seeds, saying the judge was wrong to find Advanta Seeds did not owe them a duty of care.
A Victoria Supreme Court judge has rejected a post-trial bid to keep details of the 2019 sale of Cargill’s malt business under wraps in a long-running case over Viterra’s $420 million sale of its Joe White business, finding the move would be contrary to the principles of open justice where no harm from disclosure had been demonstrated.