Builder J Hutchinson and the union for construction workers have successfully appealed a finding that they unlawfully agreed to boycott an independent subcontractor at a Brisbane building site.
A judge has found that an orthopaedic surgeon’s second bid to uncover a journalist’s confidential sources in defamation proceedings against Nine is an abuse of process in light of an earlier ruling that found the sources’ identities were protected by journalists’ privilege.
Commonwealth Bank of Australia and subsidiary CommSec have been hit with $10.34 million in penalties — the highest ever imposed in enforcement action by the workplace regulator — after admitting it underpaid thousands of employees more than $16 million.
Bank of Queensland will pay a $820,000 penalty after its Members Equity was found guilty of criminal charges over misleading representations, with a judge finding the defunct direct bank was no less responsible because the offending conduct resulted from a systems error.
Swiss food and drink giant Nestle has resolved a lawsuit by a2 Milk over a trade mark for infant formula, agreeing to withdraw an application with IP Australia to register the mark, NAN A2.
The Office of the Special Investigator has been granted access to sensitive evidence in Ben Roberts-Smith’s unsuccessful defamation case against Fairfax for its investigation into war crimes in Afghanistan.
CBA should pay a penalty of $12.8 million — close to the maximum penalty the court can impose on the bank — for underpaying its staff to the tune of $16.4 million, a judge has heard.
Direct bank Members Equity has pleaded guilty to criminal charges over misleading representations to customers, but a judge has questioned the bank’s submissions in favour of a low penalty, noting it was only “happenstance” that a systems glitch didn’t lead to worse outcomes for customers.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has succeeded in overturning a defamation judgment requiring her to pay $250,000 in damages to former colleague Brian Burston, with the Full Federal Court finding an allegation of sexual abuse against Burston was substantially true.
Two courts have ruled that in competing class actions against Hyundai and Kia over allegedly faulty anti-lock braking systems, a plaintiff’s bid to transfer one of the cases from Victoria to the Federal Court should precede a carriage fight, deeming it the “straightforward” option.