Class Actions
Crown’s $73M shareholder class action settlement wins court OK
A court has approved Crown Resorts' $72.5 million settlement of a shareholder class action, as well as a $20 million cut for the plaintiff's law firm.
Intellectual Property
Finish maker loses bid to trade mark dishwasher tablet shape
Finish maker Reckitt Benckiser has lost its bid to trade mark the shape of its dishwashing capsule, with a delegate finding it was not a “wholly concocted” shape that can be distinguished from similar products by other brands.
Michael Borsky
Court calls ASIC out for ‘kitchen sink’ approach to pleadings in Mawhinney case
A judge has taken ASIC to task for pleading its remitter case against Mayfair 101 Group director James Mawhinney in minute detail, but has rejected arguments the regulator ran the proceeding in an “oppressive and unmeritorious” way.
Insurance
ASIC takes RACQ to court alleging false comparison pricing
The corporate regulator has filed proceedings against RACQ, one of Queensland’s largest insurers, alleging it sent customers renewal documents with misleading comparison pricing.
Competition & Consumer Protection
ACCC sues JustAnswer over ‘manipulative’ subscription trap
Advice platform JustAnswer is accused of duping customers into signing up for expensive monthly subscriptions by advertising a $2 joining fee, and falsely holding itself out as affiliated with the Fair Work Ombudsman.
Contracts
Opal sues Victoria for $402M in damages over paper mill agreement
Paper company Opal has sued the Victorian government for $402 million in damages, claiming it was forced to close the Maryvale paper mill after the state government breached an agreement to provide it with a stable supply of wood.
Financial Services
Paladin director disqualified in ASIC case over ‘entirely fanciful’ $1B valuation
ASIC has won banning orders against a Paladin and MacroLend director, with a judge finding investors were enticed by his “entirely fanciful” $1.02 billion valuation of Paladin unit Kradle Software.
Business of Law
UK class action firm Pogust Goodhead closes Sydney office
A year and a half after moving into the Australian class action market with an $835 million war chest, UK plaintiffs firm Pogust Goodhead has quietly closed its Sydney office.
Telecommunications
ACMA to look at Singtel’s investment in Optus network after Triple Zero failure
ACMA has kicked off an investigation into a 13-hour Optus Triple Zero outage connected to three deaths in two states, promising to look at Singapore-based parent company's Singtel's investment in the company's network and reporting systems.
Employment
Wiggles CEO ‘failed to appreciate’ that founders had creative control, defence says
Children's music juggernaut The Wiggles denies claims in an adverse action case by its former CEO and says he was axed because he lost the trust of Captain Feathersword and the gang.
