The Australian Broadcasting Corporation has agreed to pay 1,800 current and former casual staff $12 million in unpaid wages, following an investigation by the Fair Work Ombudsman that found some workers were paid less than minimum wage.
A Federal Court judge overseeing Papua New Guinean Politician William Duma’s defamation lawsuit against Fairfax Media has said he would like to move case management hearings online permanently, saying the move to virtual courtrooms was one good that had resulted from the coronavirus pandemic.
Ardent Leisure, which operates the Dreamworld theme park in Queensland, is facing a shareholder class action over a 2016 tragedy in which four people died following a ride malfunction.
Medical technology company Respiri has settled a lawsuit brought by its former CEO alleging he was terminated for seeking to expand into the Indian market against the wishes of the ASX-listed company’s board.
Recent temporary measures by the government making it harder to bring shareholder class actions should be part of permanent reform, ASX has said, and enforcement of Australia’s continuous disclosure rules should rest with the share market operator and ASIC.
The era of online hearings during the COVID-19 pandemic has made advocacy more challenging for counsel representing parties in litigation, but a happy consequence of the virtual courtroom is an end to intimidation, harassment and in some cases bullying by male barristers and judges, female barristers have told Lawyerly.
Victoria’s lawmakers have passed a fiercely-debated bill that lifts the ban on contingency fees, making the state the first in the country to allow lawyers to take a percentage cut of any judgment or settlement in class actions.
Norway-based shipping company Wallenius Wilhlmsen Ocean AS has pleaded guilty to one charge of criminal cartel conduct, but told a court the penalty should be discounted from the maximum by over 50 per cent.
A Marshall Islands-based binary options trader has been hit with a $1.8 million penalty after a judge found it engaged in the “deliberate deception of vulnerable people”.
The competition cop has given its blessing to Australian Finance Group’s $120 million acquisition of rival Connective Group, after raising concerns the deal could squeeze smaller players out of the mortgage aggregator market.
For information on rights and reprints, contact subscriptions@lawyerly.com.au
