The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has raised preliminary competition concerns about Bauer Media’s planned $40 million acquisition of Pacific Magazines, a deal that would combine Australia’s two largest magazine publishers, saying competition needs to be preserved even in declining markets.
Arguing it shouldn’t be the victim of an “accident of timing”, the funder that bankrolled the landmark stolen wages class action is fighting to save a common fund order granting it 20 per cent of a $190 million settlement in the case, despite a recent High Court judgment shooting down the orders.
A Federal Court judge has frowned on a bid to transfer 12 individual cases over allegedly defective pelvic mesh to various state and territory courts, saying the manner in which the cases had been brought reminded him of the 1990’s when “mobile phones resembled house bricks” and suggesting the cases could be brought as a class action.
A judge overseeing a consolidated class action against four AMP subsidiaries and two trustees over allegedly excessive superannuation fees has ordered the respondents to coordinate after the lead applicants raised concerns about duplication of work.
A six-week trial scheduled for February in a criminal cartel case against mobile equipment provider Country Care Group could be vacated a second time as lawyers for the defendants seek to appeal the judge’s planned directions to a jury in the groundbreaking case.
A Federal Court judge has signed off on an $18 million settlement in a shareholder class action against UGL over its Ichthys power plant disclosures under which $8 million will be distributed to shareholders.
Westpac is facing a class action on behalf shareholders in three countries over its alleged anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing breaches and disclosures.
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has taken legal action against National Australia Bank alleging thousands of violations of the law through its fees for no service conduct, exposing the bank to the risk of significant penalties.
The applicants in a group of class actions over defective Takata airbags are pushing ahead with a challenge to the power of the NSW Supreme Court to issue class closure orders in the aftermath of a High Court decision shooting down common fund orders, a fight that could send the cases back to the High Court.
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has taken legal action on another referral from the banking royal commission, dragging life insurer TAL to court for allegedly engaging in misleading and deceptive conduct in its handling of a claim for coverage.
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