Judges

The Supreme Court of Victoria has agreed to transfer a case against the former CEO of ASX-listed software company Dubber and its solicitor to the Federal Court, to be heard alongside a case against auditor BDO and civil penalty proceedings by ASIC.

A judge has raised concerns that a common question posed by a class action challenging the Victorian government’s imposition of surcharges on foreign citizens is framed for direct referral to the Full Federal Court. 

NSW Police has argued the lead plaintiff in a class action over strip searches at music festivals should only receive $33,000 in damages rather than $93,000 and is challenging a finding that the strip searches were done “as a matter of routine”.

The trial judge in enforcement action against Mastercard had harsh words Thursday about the company's witnesses, including a top executive whose testimony he said was "most unsatisfactory and unimpressive".

A class action against Optus over a 2022 data breach that affected 10 million customers has won leave to intervene in parallel cases by the media authority and information commissioner.

Former Keystone Asset Management director Paul Chiodo has been ordered to produce books in his possession as well as bank account statements of family members, as he defends himself in a case over alleged misappropriated money.

Dexus has stood down executives, sacked its advisers and launched a review of its $7 billion infrastructure division, following last week's judgment upholding the validity of a default notice by Melbourne Airport's operator.

Twenty-one former property owners at the site of the troubled 55-storey Halo Project skyscraper in the Sydney CBD have won access to a contract entered with Cbus Property shortly before developer FT Sydney went into administration. 

A judge has refused to allow Forte Construction to file a late amended defence after it failed to comply with three orders in a $3 million case brought by the liquidators of collapsed real estate fund manager iProsperity, saying the court was being treated with “absolute contempt”.

Mastercard argued Wednesday it relied on legal advice in drafting alleged anti-competitive deals with major retailers, as the judge questioned the reliability of some witnesses for the payments giant, who recalled "virtually nothing".