Banton Group

A judge has found the ATO knowingly received millions misappropriated by a former Kupang Resources director in order to satisfy a tax debt against him, with a judge skewering the tax office for instituting a “policy of wilful blindness” in pursuit of the debt.

The firm wants a bigger slice of any recovery in its case against Paladin Energy, but its clearer funding arrangement and realistic litigation budget give it the edge over a rival class action outfit, a judge has found.

A contest to run a class action against Paladin Energy played out Monday, with two law firms each positioning themselves as the better bet, one for their funding and resources, the other for their contingency fee rate.

Having lost a challenge to privatisation agreements by NSW Ports, the competition regulator wants to intervene in a High Court appeal by Mayfield Developments, which failed in its own case against the port authority.

The competition regulator is seeking to intervene in Mayfield Development's appeal to the High Court in a case the developer says could have "startling" consequences.

Mayfield Developments has argued the High Court should overturn a finding that NSW Ports was protected by derivative Crown immunity in entering allegedly uncompetitive agreements to privatise two ports, saying the decision could have “startling” consequences such as allowing the state to devise cartel arrangements.

A class action alleging negligent management by the Murray Darling Basin Authority can amend their case four weeks into trial, with a judge finding the late application was not the result of a “deliberate forensic decision”.

The shareholder leading a class action against failed fund manager Blue Sky Alternative Investments has lost a bid for a split trial it accepted was novel, despite arguing the usual course for trials in securities cases was "misconceived".

Phoslock Environmental Technologies, which has produced hundreds of thousands of documents to federal police as part of an investigation of the company's China operations, must hand over the bundle to a class action.

A class action against Blue Sky Alternative Investments won't seek to transfer the case to contingency fee-friendly Victoria despite a High Court ruling that put the kibosh on solicitors' common fund orders.