Justice Walter Sofronoff

The relationship between police and prosecutors involved in the criminal case against accused rapist Bruce Lehrmann was “beset by tension” from the outset, an inquiry has heard.

An appeals court has shot down oil and gas giant Santos’ bid for expanded discovery against engineering company Fluor, finding that the application was “akin to a fishing expedition” that was based on “a shaky assumption” by lawyers from Corrs Chambers Westgarth.

Two Australian companies have won their application for special leave to the High Court as they continue their fight to shut down a wrongful death case in the US brought by the families of 15 people killed in an aircraft crash near Lockhart River in northern Queensland in May 2005.