Crime
Ben Roberts-Smith charged with five war-crime murders
Former SAS soldier Ben Roberts-Smith was arrested and charged Tuesday with five war crime counts of murder, following a joint investigation by the Australian Federal Police and the Office of the Special Investigator.
Class Actions
Judge wants more info on ‘extraordinary’ legal fees in AMP class action
A judge has asked for more information on why he should approve $45 million in legal fees in a class action against AMP that settled for $120 million, calling the amount "extraordinary" and "troubling".
Class Actions
a2 Milk to pay $62M to settle shareholder class action
Dairy giant a2 Milk has agreed to cough up $62 million to settle a consolidated shareholder class action over a 2021 guidance.
People In The News
Sydney silk appointed Australia’s first female solicitor-general
A leading competition law barrister has been appointed as the federal government’s chief legal advisor, with the government’s kids social media ban and attacks on hate speech laws to be among her early challenges.
Financial Services
Latest MWL Financial adviser DQ’d for steering investors to Shield
A Melbourne adviser is the latest person linked to MWL Financial to be banned for spruiking Keystone Asset Management's failed Shield fund to clients.
Employment
Uber slammed for booting driver who touched groin during trip
The Fair Work Commission has criticised Uber for failing to explain the nature of a complaint against a driver, who touched his groin during a trip, before deactivating his account on the rideshare app.
Expert Insights
Managing downstream class action risk during a regulatory investigation
Decisions made during a regulatory investigation can have significant consequences for the trajectory of any future class action, and a coordinated, holistic approach can narrow the scope of potential downstream exposure, say Corrs Chambers partners Chris Pagent and Abigail Gill and special counsel James Emmerig.
Employment
Chemist Warehouse must bargain with SA workers after failed appeal
The Fair Work Commission has rejected Chemist Warehouse's appeal of orders requiring it to negotiate a multi-employer agreement with its South Australian workforce under new bargaining laws.
Competition & Consumer Protection
In Mastercard case, judge says suppression bids ‘spiralling out of control’
A judge has said he will not be able to decide all the suppression applications in the ACCC’s misuse of market power case against Mastercard ahead of trial, saying the court was facing an “unreasonable, if not oppressive” burden.
Class Actions
Kmart hit with underpayments class action
Kmart has been hit with a class action on behalf of thousands of salaried managers who allege they were systematically underpaid.
