Federal Government to crack down on tech giants

A $27 million investment into the ACCC and a brand new code of conduct are part of the Federal Government's raft of reforms intended to crack down on unregulated American tech giants. The reforms come in response to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) Digital Platforms Inquiry, which slammed tech heavyweigh...

Supreme Court sets aside statutory demand against Smiles Inclusive

Within a week of having a major suit against it dropped, dental care company Smiles Inclusive (ASX: SIL) is today claiming victory in another legal matter. This morning the Supreme Court of Queensland set aside a statutory demand served by the former owners of Sydney-based Future Care Mobile Dentistry (FCMD), who sold their busi...

Coles to pay Norco dairy farmers $5.25 million after allegedly misleading consumers

Norco Co-operative Limited (Norco) dairy farmers will receive $5.25 million from Coles (ASX: COL) after the supermarket giant failed to pass on a 10c per litre price rise. The payment to Norco follows an investigation by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) into whether Coles fully passed on to Norco a 10c per litre p...

Criminal charges laid against former BCU CEO

A former director and CEO of credit union BCU could face up to 10 years in jail if found guilty of criminal charges made against him by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). Lyndon Allen Kingston (pictured) was an executive - first as CFO and then CEO - at Coffs Harbour-based BCU for nine years and was a senior...

Optus hit with $6.4 million fine for misleading customers

A marketing email has cost telco Optus $6.4 million in penalties after the Federal Court determined it to be misleading. Following proceedings brought by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), the Federal Court found that Optus made misleading claims about home internet disconnections to consumers. The case revolve...

Class action launched against Woolworths

Last month Woolworths Group (ASX: WOW) announced it had underpaid staff by about $300 million, but Adero Law alleges the figure is more like $620 million. A staff underpayment scandal that prompted reprimands from the Fair Work Ombudsman and led to executive pay cuts has just turned up a notch for Australia's largest retaile...

Bellamy's settles historical class actions

Infant formula producer Bellamy's (ASX: BAL) has settled two class actions dating back to early 2017. The total settlement amount for both proceedings comes to $49.7 million, which the company says will have no impact on its financial results at any time. Both class actions relate to historical market disclosures that occurred in ...

"An exercise in Orwellian doublespeak": Dover Financial Advisers found guilty

The Federal Court has handed down its decision against Dover Financial Advisers, finding the company and its sole director guilty of false, misleading or deceptive conduct on 19,402 occasions. The case arose from an Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) investigation, with the watchdog alleging that Dover misled and decei...

Westpac CEO and chairman step down amid AUSTRAC allegations

Westpac Group (ASX: WBC) CEO Brian Hartzer and chairman Lindsay Maxstead will step down in the wake of legal controversy surrounding the bank. Hatzer's resignation follows allegations from AUSTRAC that the banking group contravened the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 (AML/CTF Act) on more than 23 million ...

"Justice for thousands" as Shine wins implant class action against Johnson & Johnson

A class action seven years in the making has delivered "justice for thousands" after Shine Lawyers (ASX: SHJ) defeated Ethicon and Johnson & Johnson in the Federal Court today. The two medical implant giants have been found liable in negligence and for breaches of the Trade Practices Act and the Competition and Consumer Act ...

NAB settles credit card insurance class action for $50 million

NAB (ASX: NAB) has reached a settlement with class action law firm Slater & Gordon, paying $49.5 million toward customer remuneration. The class action saw Slater & Gordon allege that NAB sold "worthless" credit card insurance (CCI) to customers. The law firm claimed most people were sold the insurance over the phone...

Westpac accused of breaching anti-money laundering laws

In June 2018 Commonwealth Bank (ASX: CBA) paid the largest settlement of its kind in Australian corporate history after being taken to court by AUSTRAC over anti-money laundering charges. Today, Westpac (ASX: WBC) finds itself in a similar position. The bank this morning received a statement of claim from AUSTRAC, commencing civil pro...

CBA's CommInsure pleads guilty to 87 counts of hawking

A subsidiary of Australia's largest bank has pleaded guilty to making unlawful and unsolicited phone calls in breach of the Corporations Act. Commonwealth Bank (ASC: CBA) subsidiary Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society Limited, trading as CommInsure, has pleaded guilty on 87 counts of the practice known as "hawking" betwen...

Hold your horses: Body Corporate ban on Airbnbs unlikely to impact most Queenslanders

A landmark legal decision upholding a ban on Airbnbs in certain strata title complexes is unlikely to impact the broader industry. For the first time in Queensland, a by-law banning short-term letting or Airbnb within a Gold Coast community has been successful. The decision in the case of Fairway Island GTP v Redman and Murray is cert...

Car industry on notice as Mazda faces court

Car manufacturer Mazda's Australian arm will face the Federal Court over allegations of unconscionable conduct and misleading statements in relation to faulty cars. As alleged by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), Mazda engaged in unconscionable conduct and made false representations in its dealings with custom...

Compensation Partners Lawyers to relaunch as Kingsley Lawson Lawyers

Since launching in 2013, Compensation Partners Lawyers, specialists in compensation law, have witnessed a solid growth in operation. With a staff of 16 in offices across New South Wales and Queensland, the boutique law firm has built its reputation on integrity, dexterity and expertise in the area of compensation law. As founder and M...

ACCC takes Google to court over misleading use of user location data

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission ('ACCC') has launched proceedings in the Federal Court against Google, alleging the Silicon Valley giant misused users' location data. The watchdog claims that from at least January 2017, Google breached the Australian Consumer Law when it made on-screen representations on And...

Benjamin Hornigold demands repayment as JB Financial Group falls into receivership

The company that holds the majority of Benjamin Hornigold's (ASX: BHD) assets has fallen into receivership, and the embattled company is anxious for repayment. JB Financial Group (JBFG) fell into receivership today, with Wexted Advisors being appointed as the group's receivers and managers by Partners For Growth (PFG) under its se...

Myer class action fails in court

The Federal Court has ruled Myer (ASX: MYR) will not need to pay damages in a class action brought by Amies Superannuation Fund trustee TPT Patrol, despite finding the retailer had engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct over a four-month period in FY15. The proceedings stemmed from a verbal statement made on 11 September 201...

Slater and Gordon to receive nil in UK settlement

Slater and Gordon (ASX: SGH) will not see a cent from the settlement between Slater and Gordon UK and Watchstone Group. Slater and Gordon UK, now completely detached from the Australian law firm, has entered into a settlement agreement with Watchstone group following a counterclaim made by the professional services firm. Initially, Sl...

Maurice Blackburn launches class action against CommBank's Colonial First State

Maurice Blackburn have launched a class action against Commonwealth Bank (ASX: CBA) on behalf of Colonial First State account holders. The class action is in relation to alleged breaches of super trustee duties that Maurice Blackburn says have caused substantial losses to more than 100,000 members over several years. The firm alleges ...

IMF Bentham to buy European litigation funder for $141m

An Australian group that has funded class actions against the likes of National Australia Bank (ASX: NAB), Sirtex and Murray Goulburn (ASX: MGC) is about to spread its wings. IMF Bentham (ASX: IMF) has agreed to acquire Netherlands-headquartered Omni Bridgeway for 87.5 million euros ($141 million) as part of a five-year plan to diver...

Former Future Care owners serve Smiles Inclusive with statutory demand

Just one day after law firm Holding Redlich confirmed it had agreed to lead a class action process against Smiles Inclusive (ASX: SIL), it has been revealed the struggling dental empire now faces another legal battle. The former owners of Sydney-based Future Care Dental Group (FCDG), who sold their business to Smiles in December last...

CommInsure charged with 87 counts of hawking

The life insurance arm of Commonwealth Bank (ASX: CBA), CommInsure, has been charged with 87 counts of offering to sell insurance products in the course of non-compliant unsolicited phone calls. The Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) alleges that CommInsure, wholly owned by CBA, unlawfully sold insurance policies known...

Man arrested over Landmark White data breach

The NSW Police Force Cybercriminal Squad have arrested a man in relation to the data breach incidents that affected real estate valuation business Landmark White (ASX: LMW). The man has been identified as 49-year-old Stephen Grant, who the Sydney Morning Herald reported as having worked for 12 years at Landmark White. H...

Takeovers Panel blocks Benjamin Hornigold takeover

The attempted takeover of Benjamin Hornigold by NSX-listed investment management company John Bridgeman has been shut down by the Takeovers Panel. After raising red flags in early September due to the apparent lack of competitiveness of John Bridgeman's offer, the panel has decided to stop the takeover in its tracks. John Bridgema...

Lawcadia raises $1.3m in pre-Series A funding round

Legal technology company Lawcadia has received a $1.3 million capital injection to carry out global expansion and product development plans, building on a platform that is already used by all  of Australia's top-tier law firms. The pre-Series A round involved several private investors and early-stage venture capital firm Art...

Silver Chef shareholders knock down Next Capital for the second time

Shareholders in embattled hospitality firm Silver Chef (ASX: SIV) have swatted away a takeover offer from investment firm Next Capital for the second time. Following Next Capital's second bid at taking over Silver Chef, shareholders in the latter have come out against the proposed deal, choosing instead to side with an alternative rec...

Rural Funds launches lawsuit against short seller Bonitas Research

Australian agriculture real estate investment trust Rural Funds Group (ASX: RFF) has commenced legal proceedings against US-based short sellers Bonitas Research and its principal Matthew Weichert. The proceedings relate to a short selling report published by Bonitas in early August which saw the shares in Rural Funds dive by 43 per cent. ...

ASX drills Smiles Inclusive on shock $19 million loss announcement

Late on Friday 30th August Smiles Inclusive (ASX: SIL) announced its disastrous FY19 results. Of particular note was its loss of $18.9 million during the financial year; a result that took the market by surprise. Now, the ASX has questioned Smiles over whether this significant loss was something the company should have alerted shareho...