Judges

The NT government says a class action by the family of an Indigenous woman who died at a COVID-19 quarantine facility had no business in the Federal Court.

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.

Lawyers for a former partner of tax advisory firm Greenwoods & Herbert Smith Freehills will cease to act for him in his case alleging he was sacked for complaining about client Lendlease’s “aggressive taxation position”. 

The peak body for community legal centres argues a case over alleged cookie cutter legal advice should be stripped of class action status, citing a recent judgment in a case against a Victorian law firm, but a judge noted there may be significant differences. 

The eSafety Commissioner has told the Full Court X Corp should not be able to use its merger with corporate predecessor Twitter to escape regulation.

Family-owned real estate group Coronis has successfully challenged the tax office on a $5 million alleged shortfall, with a judge finding service fees paid to two companies in the group were deductible.  

The lawyer representing applicants in sexual harassment and discrimination class actions against mining giants BHP and Rio Tinto has said there may be thousands of group members.

United Petroleum has successfully sued the landlords of one of its petrol stations for failing to pay for repairs to potholes described as "more like large craters".

A lawyer accused of trying to blackmail personal injury firm Maliganis Edwards Johnson has won a challenge to an injunction, with a judge finding the blackmail allegation was more nuanced than conveyed by the Canberra firm. 

Origin Energy has been ordered to pay a record $17.6 million after admitting it breached Victoria’s energy rules, impacting over 670,000 customers.