Class Actions
Robodebt class action settles a second time for record $548.5M
A class action over the Morrison government’s Robodebt scheme has settled for $548.5 million, the largest class action settlement in Australia’s history, on the back of damning revelations in a royal commission report released after the class action originally settled for $112 million.
Intellectual Property
High Court to weigh in on honest concurrent use in Zip, Firstmac TM spat
The High Court is poised to provide guidance on the defence of honest concurrent use in trade mark disputes, agreeing to hear an appeal by buy now, pay later giant Zip Co in its fight with Firstmac over the 'Zip' trade mark.
Defamation
High Court won’t hear Ben Roberts-Smith’s defamation appeal
Australia’s most-decorated soldier, Ben Roberts-Smith, has lost his bid for special leave from the High Court to appeal a judge’s findings that he committed war crimes in Afghanistan.
Class Actions
CBA class actions sent back for possible pursuit of ‘no transaction’ claims
Two failed shareholder class actions against Commonwealth Bank have been returned to a judge to decide if 'no transaction' claims can still be pursued, a move CBA argues is a way to keep alive cases that are “truly dead”.
Cryptocurrency
ASIC gets High Court’s attention in case against crypto firm Block Earner
The corporate regulator has won the High Court's leave to challenge a ruling for cryptocurrency firm Block Earner that it argues will allow future crypto products to evade the rules.
Competition & Consumer Protection
Seek says Employment Hero used data to solicit job candidates ‘en masse’
Job listings giant Seek has hit back at claims by Employment Hero that its decision to cut access to its platform was a breach of competition laws, saying the start-up has misused Seek's data to launch a competing service.
Competition & Consumer Protection
ACCC raises concerns over IAG’s proposed $1.3B takeover of RACWA
The competition watchdog has raised concerns that IAG’s proposed $1.35 billion acquisition of the RACWA's insurance operations could substantially lessen competition.
Employment
Lattouf calls out ABC’s ‘performative’ regret in seeking $350K penalty
Ex-ABC presenter Antoinette Lattouf is seeking a penalty of up to $350,000 against the national broadcaster for her unfair dismissal, citing its “performative” expressions of regret.
Competition & Consumer Protection
ACCC accuses mobile crane companies of cartel conduct
The ACCC has taken Sydney's four largest mobile crane companies and four of their senior executives to court for allegedly engaging in cartel conduct by agreeing not to supply cranes to certain customers or construction sites.
Elizabeth Cheeseman
Full Court tosses ‘barely arguable’ appeal by Latitude, Harvey Norman over ads
The Full Court has tossed Latitude Finance and Harvey Norman's appeal of a ruling that found the retailer's ads touting 'interest free' payment methods were misleading.
