Judges

A judge has questioned the level of detail in a 1,700-page proposed amended pleading in a shareholder class action over the collapse of fund manager Blue Sky, expressing "frustration" at the amount of unnecessary work that goes on in class actions.

Twelve cases brought by Labor politician Eddie Obeid and his family against the tax office are back on track after they were stayed in 2017 pending the outcome of a criminal prosecution against Obeid and his son Moses.

Liquidators appointed by the court to five companies behind $130 million worth of construction projects in Brisbane have won more time to bring potential claims while they investigate several matters, including an allegedly “very odd” tax situation.

A judge won't force alternative banking provider Banking Circle Australia to continue providing services to fintech Bano, finding the platform faced a real risk of breaching anti-money laundering and counterterrorism financing laws if the relationship continued.

An appeals court has relaxed freezing orders against Sydney property developer Golden Rain, allowing it to sell property to repay its debts while it defends a $26 million defects claim by the owners corporation of the Sugarcube Apartments and Honeycomb Terraces developments.

A judge has approved a $120 million settlement in a class action against AMP that followed the banking royal commission, saying while it was a “very disappointing outcome” for group members it was still fair and reasonable.

So-called trap calls to suspected intellectual property violators should not be made by solicitors, a judge has said, referring to two phone calls by a lawyer acting for a Queensland pool company in a trade mark dispute.

A class action on behalf of 32,000 ALDI workers who were allegedly denied pay for pre- and post-shift work has settled for $55 million, with the retail workers union set to receive $1.5 million towards its costs.

An appeals court has granted a builder's appeal in a dispute over payments for work on the Seasons of Perth hotel, finding the strict one-day deadline for serving an adjudication review application under Western Australia's Security of Payment Act is a jurisdictional requirement. 

Utility Sydney Water has claimed privilege over hundreds of documents said to reveal advice about its obligations when compulsorily acquiring land, in a dispute with a property owner over 21 hectares of land in Rosehill.