Publisher Pan Macmillan and nightclub magnate John Ibrahim have reached a $100,000 settlement in a defamation case brought by Sydney identity Thomas Domican over what a judge called a “fleeting reference” in Ibrahim’s autobiography.
Activist US short seller Bonitas Research has welcomed legal action filed against it by agricultural fund manager Rural Funds Group as a chance for “investors to know the truth”, while also doubling down on the accusations of fraud at the centre of the case that sent the group’s share price plummeting.
Bookmaker Sportsbet has expanded its case over rival BetEasy’s attempts to operate under the ‘Sportingbet’ trade mark, arguing its marks should be revoked for non-use.
The liquidators of failed construction company Walton Construction are seeking to reinstate and then wind up a unit of restructuring advisory firm Mawson Group, which was hired to extricate Walton from $18.8 million in debts with National Australia Bank prior to its collapse.
German-based 3A Composites has issued an ultimatum in the high-stakes combustible cladding class action against it, saying it will try to shut down the matter as a representative proceeding if group member registration and opt out are not initiated.
The judge overseeing Vodafone’s court battle with the competition regulator over a proposed merger with TPG questioned TPG founder David Teoh when the billionaire boss told a courtroom Thursday mobile technology was rapidly evolving, a remark seemingly at odds with the teleco’s claim that it had no viable option in the next five years for resuming a stalled network rollout.
A judge has thrown out the NRMA’s consumer case against the maritime union over its Sydney fast ferry campaign, ruling that a verdict in favour of the motoring body would have brought the “the entire field of industrial relations within the operation of consumer legislation”.
A Federal Court judge has expressed disbelief that hundreds of lawsuits are being pursued over allegedly defective pelvic mesh, saying he was “absolutely flummoxed” as to why the law firm leading them hadn’t considered filing a class action.
The competition regulator has given rural retailer company Elders the greenlight to proceed with its proposed $187 million acquisition of wholesale group Australian Independent Rural Retailers, but has warned it will be paying close attention to any future consolidation in the rural sector.
A group representing Google, Facebook and Twitter has cautioned the government against adopting the ACCC’s recommendations in its final digital platforms report, saying many of the regulator’s proposals were “arguably premature”, lacking in evidence and could stymie innovation.
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