The law firm administering the $112 million Robodebt class action settlement has asked a court to sign off on a $2.2 million bill to cover the full projected costs of distributing the funds, a figure three times the estimate calculated by a costs referee.
Even after 30 years in action, the future of class actions in Australia remains uncertain. What is clear, however, is the impact class actions have had – for claimants, lawyers, litigation funders and for corporate Australia, writes Corrs Chambers Westgarth’s Chris Pagent, Brad Woodhouse, Alex Ji and Thomas Scott.
Westpac has yet to commence extradition proceedings against Forum Finance director Bill Papas due to concerns that the alleged fraudster may face only contempt charges if he is brought back to Australia prematurely.
AMP has admitted to contraventions and will face a penalty in ASIC proceedings over fees-for-no-service conduct that allegedly led to upwards of $600,000 being unlawfully withdrawn from superannuation member accounts.
The Canberra developer behind the Manhattan on the Park apartment building in the national capital has been hit with a class action on behalf of home buyers who were allegedly misled into paying GST on the price of their property.
The Victorian Auditor-General Andrew Greaves and the State of Victoria are being sued by a former executive who says she was overworked to the point of mental breakdown during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Billionaire Clive Palmer has been hit with indemnity costs over a discontinued lawsuit brought against aircraft mechanics over the repair of his $2 million private jet.
The High Court has found that Novartis unit Sandoz infringed Danish drug company Lundbeck’s patent for its blockbuster antidepressant Lexapro, but has overturned a ruling that found the generic drug maker owes $26.3 million in damages.
Teleco contractor BSA has reached an in-principle settlement resolving a class action that accuses the company of misclassifying its workforce of technicians as independent contractors.
Cricket Tasmania has denied allegations by a former front receptionist that she was the victim of sexual harassment by Australian cricket players and senior managers, and says she has not suffered loss as a result of any alleged misbehaviour.
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