Justice Claire Harris

A judge has approved a bid by two law firms to join forces in class actions against Harvey Norman, but has ordered that a costs monitor be appointed to protect against duplication.

The Victorian Supreme Court has found it can rule on a competition claim by the owner of a lot in the Merrifield Business Park masterplanned community over a restrictive covenant preventing it from leasing the land.  

Two soon-to-be consolidated class actions against Harvey Norman are fighting the retailer’s bid to appoint a costs referee, saying this was unnecessary given their plan to secure a group costs order.

A federal competition claim by the owner of a lot in the Merrifield Business Park masterplanned community over a restrictive covenant preventing it from leasing the land will be decided by a state court.

The plaintiff in a flex commissions class action against ANZ has asked the court to approve a $85 million settlement, including a 24.5 per cent group costs order, citing the “considerable risk” involved in running the case.

An appeals court has sided with the state of Victoria on a crucial issue in its case against LU Simon Builders over alleged combustible cladding on Melbourne's Atlantis Towers.

A judge overseeing the settement approval process in a flex commissions class action against ANZ has issued a warning to third parties “seeking to profit” off group members, as a claim aggregator appears on the scene.