Trials
Murray Darling authority slams class action’s ‘incoherent’ duty of care claim
The public body in charge of managing the Murray Darling’s water resources has slammed as "incoherent" a class action's claims that it owes a duty of care to protect farmers and irrigators against economic loss.
ASIC
ASIC holds no ‘special position’ when it comes to indemnity costs for doomed cases: judge
The corporate regulator should not be immune from the risk of special costs for actions doomed to fail, says a judge who flayed ASIC last month for bringing a case against TerraCom directors it should have known was a dud.
Superannuation
Super giant Mercer sued by ASIC for ‘longstanding and systemic’ failures
Mercer Super faces enforcement action by ASIC, alleging the superannuation giant failed to inform the watchdog about investigations into serious issues, including a failure to refund premiums to dead members.
Tax
HESTA super fund says ATO overtaxed it by $11M
HESTA Super has complained that the tax office has unfairly stripped it of $11 million in franking credits, denying it did not hold the credits 'at risk' for the required 45-day period.
Employment
Former Labor MP, now workplace umpire not DQ’d from ‘same pay’ cases: court
A judge has dismissed a bid by a group of labour hire companies to disqualify former Labor MP now Fair Work Commission deputy president Terri Butler from same job, same pay cases for apprehended bias.
M&A
ACCC flags concerns over Kegstar’s acquisition of only competitor
The competition watchdog has raised concerns over the proposed tie-up of Kegstar and Konvoy -- the only operators in the niche industry of keg pooling -- saying the deal could mean higher prices.
ASIC
eToro can rely on late evidence in novel ASIC case over CFDs
Online investment platform eToro has won its bid to rely on late expert evidence in ASIC's first-ever action alleging breach of obligations in designing and selling financial products over high-risk contracts for difference.
Securities
Beacon Minerals geological consultant sentenced in insider trading case
A geological consultant has been sentenced to a suspended 12 months’ prison after pleading guilty to insider trading using information obtained through his work with Beacon Minerals.
Analysis
Apple, Google ruling to boost competition class actions against tech giants
A landmark finding that Apple and Google misused their market power will boost competition claims -- including class actions -- against other dominant digital market players and could prompt the ACCC to consider action, experts told Lawyerly.
Class Actions
Class action firms ‘doing well’ inherent part of contingency fee law, court told
Maurice Blackburn is seeking a 33 per cent cut of any settlement in a class action against Sportsbet, arguing that law firms "doing well" for themselves by running class actions is an inherent feature of the contingency fee scheme.
