The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has approved Coles’ planned acquisition of chilled meals supplier Jewel, saying the sale was better for competition than the liquidation of Jewel’s assets.
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission will continue its enforcement activities amid the spread of the coronavirus but will prioritise cracking down on behaviour that threatens “immediate consumer harm”.
Billionaire Clive Palmer has lost his appeals court fight to shut down criminal proceedings alleging his resort company breached takeover laws, with three judges saying his claims were untenable.
A Pacific Current shareholder has won court approval to bring a derivative lawsuit against certain current and former directors of the funds management company for allegedly breaching their duty of care and diligence in relation to the company’s 2014 merger with US-based Northern Lights Capital Group.
Baker McKenzie has nabbed former King & Wood Mallesons special counsel Charlie Detmold for the law firm’s key banking and finance practice in Melbourne.
The liquidator of collapsed app-development firm Appster has filed examination proceedings against the company’s founders and auditor ahead of possible legal action for allegedy trading while insolvent.
Pacific National has defended a decision by a judge to accept an undertaking and rule against the ACCC in its competition case over the rail operator’s acquisition of a major freight terminal in Queensland, saying the ruling was structured with “commendable judicial economy”.
The ACCC has raised concerns that the proposed tie-up of hardware store giant Bunnings Warehouse and family-owned Adelaide Tools and Oaklands Mower Centre will stifle competition.
Herbert Smith Freehills cannot recover its costs for successfully representing itself in litigation with United Petroleum over the company’s aborted initial public offering, with an appeals court finding the High Court’s recent ruling eliminating the so-called Chorley exception for self-represented lawyers applies to law firms as well.
Vodafone has won its case against the ACCC over its proposed merger with rival telecommunications company TPG, with a judge ruling the tie-up would not substantially lessen competition and had a real chance of becoming a “competitive force” against the two dominant players in the market, Telstra and Optus.