The consumer regulator has asked a judge to impose penalties of almost $10 million against Honda Australia for misleading the customers of two former authorised dealerships, a penalty up to 10 times what the car maker says it should pay.
Honda has admitted to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s claims that it mislead the customers of two former authorised dealerships, but is seeking to avoid pecuniary penalties for the “accidental” misconduct.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has taken Honda Australia to court, alleging the car maker made false or misleading representations to customers about two former authorised dealerships.
Honda Australia has been hit with a lawsuit by three former dealers over its decision to abandon a dealership model in Australia, the latest car maker to face litigation by car dealers.
Honda Motors has failed to strike out or permanently stay a proceeding seeking discovery for a possible lawsuit over the Japanese car maker’s decision to abandon its Australian dealership model, with a judge rejecting Honda’s argument that the preliminary discovery application didn’t meet the requirements for service abroad.
Two former Honda dealers have won a bid for preliminary discovery against Honda Australia to pursue a potential consumer lawsuit over the car maker’s decision earlier this year to abandon a dealership model in Australia.
Seven car makers defending class actions over defective Takata airbags have confirmed they will not be challenging a landmark decision that set aside a pre-settlement class closure order in the cases.
An appeals court has overturned a ruling ordering class closure in seven representative proceedings against car makers over defective Takata airbags, finding courts do not have the power to make class closure orders.
The lead applicants in seven class actions against auto manufacturers over explosive Takata airbags have criticised the courts for losing their way in ensuring justice is done, in a landmark challenge to class closure orders made in the cases.
The applicants in a group of class actions over defective Takata airbags are pushing ahead with a challenge to the power of the NSW Supreme Court to issue class closure orders in the aftermath of a High Court decision shooting down common fund orders, a fight that could send the cases back to the High Court.