Jones Day

The number of new class actions this year is on track to be the lowest in 10 years as plaintiff firms wait to see which way the High Court will lean in a crucial shareholder case and funders redeploy capital to nascent class action jurisdictions.

Airport operator APAC says a default notice sent to Dexus over confidentiality breaches is at least valid against shareholders that initiated a botched sales process, hedging its bets in an appeal of a ruling that forces a sale of the asset manager's entire stake.

A judge has frozen a DOCA for failed mining company Mine & Rail's Australian business, the latest chapter in a dispute with US investor Tacora Capital, which has sued in the US alleging the company concealed its deteriorating financial position while securing more than US$30 million in funding.

Dexus' decision to resist an undertaking as part of a deal to temporarily block the compulsory sale of its shares in airport operator APAC has been criticised by a judge for resulting in an "appalling waste" of time and money.

Baggage handling company Alstef Australia has had a partial win in its quest to stop the Brisbane Airport Corporation from calling on $13.4 million in bank guarantees.

Baggage handling company Alstef Australia says the operator of Brisbane Airport is not entitled to call on $13.4 million in bank guarantees, claiming it is owed $32 million in a dispute over a baggage system upgrade at the airport’s domestic terminal.

Super fund trustee REST Nominees is the first of the Dexus bloc of APAC shareholders to challenge a finding that a default notice issued by the board of the airport operator was valid.

Airport baggage handling company Alstef Australia is trying to halt Brisbane Airport Corporation from calling on $13.4  million in bank guarantees, in a dispute over a contract for works to upgrade the baggage system at the airport's domestic terminal.

The forced divestiture of Dexus' stake in airport operator APAC will proceed, after a court on Friday discharged injunctions temporarily blocking the sale amid a dispute over the disclosure of confidential information.

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.