In a year headlined by partisan sparring and mudslinging over the Federal Government’s class action reform effort, judges forged ahead to refine the class action regime, issuing significant judgments on common fund orders and class closure, and handing the first post-trial win to a company in a shareholder class action. Here, Lawyerly takes you through some of the major class action events in 2020 and their consequences for the year ahead.
Online retailer Kogan has been fined $310,800 for sending marketing emails to more than 42 million consumers without an easy way to unsubscribe, in violation of spam laws.
Botox maker Allergan has appealed a court judgment tossing most of trade mark case against an Australian cosmetics company that sells topical creams as Botox alternatives.
NAB has succeeded in blocking accused scammer Helen Rosamond and her executive services company Human Group from varying a freezing order in a case over an alleged $51 million fraudulent scheme so that she can pay her legal bills and living expenses.
Trial is set to begin February 2 in a $100 million shareholder class action against Woolworths over a February 2015 profit downgrade that allegedly led to a drop in the company’s share price.
Facebook and Google should not be expected to solve the challenges currently facing the Australian media industry, according to the social media giant, which has called on the government to address concentration in the media market.
A class action brought on behalf of 40,000 customers has been launched against two Queensland energy generators who are accused of ‘gaming’ the energy pricing system and artificially inflating consumer prices.
Sydney businesswoman Melissa Caddick, who went missing a day after police raided her home two months ago as part of a fraud investigation, is believed to be alive, according to police.
The Commonwealth Bank of Australia has been sued for conspiracy to misuse private information and bank account details in an unfair dismissal case brought by the director and former employee of a Melbourne financial services provider.
Building products supplier Wagners has successfully challenged a Queensland Supreme Court judgment ruling in favour of Boral in a high-stakes cement supply dispute between the construction giants.