The judge overseeing three competing shareholder class actions brought against RCR Tomlinson has refused to entertain a beauty contest, instead deciding to consolidate the proceedings whether the parties “agree or not”.
A judge on Friday asked the corporate regulator why it delayed action against former Murray Goulburn managing director Gary Helou and CFO Bradley Hingle until two years’ after the consumer watchdog brought its case against the pair.
The ABC and Fairfax have lost their appeal seeking to revive a truth defense in a defamation case brought by Chinese businessman Dr Chau Chak Wing over a Four Corners program accusing him of espionage and links to the Chinese Communist Party.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, which is fighting the legality of a police raid on its Sydney headquarters, has urged the Federal Court to order the Australian Federal Police to hand over a document it produced as rationale for obtaining a search warrant.
While the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has set out to rein in the market power of Google and Facebook, the sweeping proposals in the regulator’s final digital platforms report would affect a large number of businesses and could have a detrimental effect on smaller companies and innovation, lawyers say.
Japanese shipping company K-Line has been hit with a $34.5 million penalty for criminal cartel conduct, the largest consumer criminal fine in Australian history.
Australia’s largest potato wholesaler Mitolo Group will pay a penalty of $240,000 to resolve the consumer regulator’s case alleging its contracts with growers were unfair.
Former Tennis Australia director Harold Mitchell has told a court that the corporate regulator had to be dragged “kicking and screaming” to produce documents in its enforcement action over alleged breaches of directorial duties involving negotiations for the Australian Open broadcast rights.
A judge has warned the parties in The Cosmetic Institute class action over allegedly botched breast implants to ensure group members’ rights are prioritised, following a push for an early class closure amid doctor-patient confidentiality concerns.
Car giant Toyota is facing a class action seeking compensation on behalf of around 250,000 vehicle owners who allegedly suffered loss from faulty diesel filters in the automaker’s Hilux, Fortuner and Prado diesel model cars.