The High Court will consider an exception to the general immunity of foreign states for the first time, as it hears an appeal of a decision which found Indonesia’s national airline could avail itself of foreign state immunity to defeat a winding up application.
Dutch paint company Akzo Nobel has lost its bid to transfer a case over the $45 billion Ichthys natural gas project to state court in Western Australia, with a judge finding the overlap with insurance-related proceedings in the state court was tolerable.
An appeals court has found that barrister’s fees are not excluded as a recoverable outlay under worker’s compensation regulations.
A judge has rejected a bid by WA businessman and former Perth Glory owner Antony Sage to uncover external legal advice provided to the tax office in a dispute over an audit that went to the AAT, finding that reliance by the Tribunal on the material could endanger its independence.
Lawyer and Papua New Guinea citizen Samson Jubi has sued the ABC over stories he claims have “racist undertones” and accuse him of defrauding $117 million from a charity meant to benefit villagers after PNG’s largest mine disaster.
A judge has signed off on a $18.5 million settlement in a six-year-old shareholder class action against Deloitte over its audits of collapsed construction group Hastie, saying the amount might be “disappointing” to group members but reflected the risks of going to trial.
A judge asked to approve an $11 million settlement in a class action against retirement village provider Aveo is considering a proposal by court-appointed contradictors to set aside a percentage of the sum for group members, which would leave the law firm running the case $2 million out of pocket.
A judge has questioned a challenge by two class actions against Victorian aged care providers to a ruling that rejected their bid for insurance and financial information, which the defendants argue would have far-reaching implications.
With customary wit the top judge of NSW has sent off Justice Robert Beech-Jones to take his seat on the High Court, observing the value of his colleague’s criminal law experience and the lamentable drop in that bench’s “sartorial standards” with his elevation.
Government should shift away from using large professional services firms for advisory work and retain barristers to help avoid conflicts, increase accountability and ensure value for money, the Victorian Bar has told an inquiry.
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