HWL Ebsworth Lawyers

Downer EDI subsidiary Spotless has rejected allegations it engaged in price-fixing with Ventia on defence contracts, saying the facilities services companies were not in competition with each other.

A judge has said Sydney firm Atanskovic Hartnell’s garnishee order was “entirely unacceptable” in a long-running fee fight with its former client, a company owned by media mogul Bruce Gordon. 

It lost its bid in the NSW Supreme Court to withhold a payment claim from the builder of a 30-storey project in Sydney pending an appeal, now developer VSD Investments has asked an appeals court to halt payment.

Western Australian senator Linda Reynolds has filed a lawsuit against the federal government and HWL Ebsworth over a $2.4 million settlement with former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins.

Developer VSD Investments has lost an argument for withholding an $8.5 million payment claim from the builder of a 30-storey project in Sydney's inner west pending the construction company's appeal.

The owner of the Seasons of Perth Hotel seeks want to quash a review determination of an adjudicator's decision in its dispute with hotel construction company Reward Group over performance bonds for work on the hotel.

While granting yet another extension, a judge has read the riot act to Airservices Australia for its breaches of court orders to file evidence in Brisbane Airport's $690 million case over PFAS chemical use.

Hotel construction company Reward Group has secured a win in a dispute with the owners of the Seasons of Perth Hotel over progress payment claims, with a judge finding an adjudicator did not err in ordering the release of performance bonds, but more questions over the release of the bonds remain on foot.

Rio Tinto unit Energy Resources has lost its privilege claim over an internal investigation into the failure of one of its wellhead systems, which is at the centre of a defects claim against equipment manufacturer Cactus Wellhead.

The federal government has launched a cross-claim against private security companies G4S and ACM in a class action on behalf of asylum seekers held in two immigration detention centres in South Australia.