The judge overseeing three competing shareholder class actions brought against RCR Tomlinson has refused to entertain a beauty contest, instead deciding to consolidate the proceedings whether the parties “agree or not”.
A judge on Friday asked the corporate regulator why it delayed action against former Murray Goulburn managing director Gary Helou and CFO Bradley Hingle until two years’ after the consumer watchdog brought its case against the pair.
Lawyers for former Vocation CEO Mark Hutchinson say the corporate regulator is “plucking numbers out of the air” in its bid to secure disqualifications of up to eight years against the former executives who breached their directors’ duties in relation to the collapsed education provider.
A judge overseeing a consolidated shareholder class action against logistics company Brambles has expressed frustration with the parties, who are locked in an unresolved discovery battle three months after his order consolidating the litigation.
A judge has given the all-clear to an investment management company to access evidence for potential legal action against the National Stock Exchange of Australia after the firm’s shares were suspended without warning or explanation.
Group members in the Fitch Ratings class action have recovered almost 95 per cent of their losses in a $27 million settlement, which was narrowly approved after a judge scolded the parties for a lack of clarity around the mediation and opt-out process.
Collapsed engineering and construction company Forge Group has agreed to settle a shareholder class action over alleged continuous disclosure breaches, which will see the funder pocket about $7.5 million.
Mineral sands producer Iluka Resources is threatening a dismissal bid in a shareholder class action it has spent $2 million fighting over the past year, amid concerns proposed security could be inadequate and the applicant has still to finalise an agreement with a litigation funder.
Construction giant Lendlease faces a second shareholder class action over market disclosures relating to its underperforming engineering division, and joining the case is one of the biggest public pension funds in the US.
Defence shipbuilder Austal faces legal action by the corporate regulator challenging claims of privilege over documents sought as part of a probe into disclosures linked to cost overruns on the company’s $4 billion US Navy ship-building program.