MinterEllison

In tossing his challenge to a finding that he committed war crimes in Afghanistan, an appeals court rejected Ben Roberts-Smith’s criticisms of the trial judge, finding the judge gave sufficient weight to the presumption of innocence. 

A secret recording of Nine journalist Nick McKenzie speaking to a witness in the case may have been “doctored” and had to be “treated with caution,” the Full Court said Friday.

Former Victorian Liberal party leader John Pesutto has been ordered to pay $2.3 million in costs in MP Moira Deeming’s defamation suit over statements found to have conveyed that she had links to neo-Nazis. 

A court has rejected Ben Roberts-Smith’s appeal of a decision that found he committed war crimes in Afghanistan, as well as the disgraced soldier’s bid to re-open the case in light of a secret recording of Nine journalist Nick McKenzie. 

A litigator with the corporate regulator has returned to private practice, joining BigSix firm MinterEllison as a partner on the dispute resolution team.

Western Power, Ventia, and a property owner found jointly liable for loss arising from the Parkerville bushfire are equally liable to each other for any costs orders in favour of the plaintiffs in the case, after a judge found he could not disturb existing costs orders in a new proceeding.

Resolving a split between courts, the High Court has confirmed that judges have power to make soft class closure orders, which require class action members to register before mediation to participate in any resulting settlement.

A witness in the Ben Roberts-Smith case threatened to sue Nine and journalist Nick McKenzie, the Full Court has learned, as the former soldier seeks to reopen his appeal following the release of a secret recording of a conversation between McKenzie and the witness.

Real estate investment firms Dexus and Ho-Group have convinced the valuer general of NSW to knock roughly $26 million off its initial valuation of a Sydney office sold by Ho-Group last year that was used in a land tax assessment. 

Nine journalist Nick McKenzie was pressed during cross-examination on Thursday in Ben Roberts-Smith's bid to re-open his defamation appeal on whether he has used deceptive methods or 'subterfuge' in his reporting.