Commercial Disputes AU
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November 13, 2026
WA Mining Reforms Ease Licence Rules After Court Rulings
Western Australia's Parliament has passed mining law reforms in response to a 2017 High Court ruling that exploration companies must submit prescribed supporting documents when they apply for leases.
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November 13, 2026
Dexus Cleared To Put Trust Wind-Up Plan To Unitholders
The Supreme Court of NSW has advised Dexus that it would be "justified" in presenting a wind-up plan to unitholders of two trusts holding the $4 billion stake in Australia Pacific Airports Corporation which the real estate giant has been ordered to sell.
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November 13, 2026
Judges Slams Lawyers For 'Disturbing' Doc. Delay
A Federal Court of Australia judge said Friday that a "disturbing" delay by RSA Express' solicitors in giving a document to the competition watchdog's lawyers "may be a matter" for the legal complaints body.
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November 13, 2026
Outlook Outage Disrupts Australian Courts' Email, Video Links
The Microsoft outage on Friday has hit Australian state and federal courts with a lack of email access and some impacts on audio visual links used to broadcast court hearings, witness testimonies and legal consultations, courts have told Law360 Australia.
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November 13, 2026
High Court Won't Hear Appeal In Worley Causation Ruling
A High Court of Australia panel on Friday rejected an appeal from Worley Ltd over a landmark Full Federal Court decision finding that a class of shareholders in the engineering solutions firm were able to prove causation and loss from the company's misleading statements without personally relying on those statements.
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November 12, 2026
ASIC Seeks $5.41m Telstra Super Fine For Complaint Delays
ASIC urged the Federal Court of Australia on Thursday to fine Telstra Super $5.41 million for systemic failures to respond to member complaints within statutory deadlines, while the fund argued no penalty was warranted because the breaches were not deliberate.
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November 12, 2026
Comic Wins Privacy Appeal Over Insurer's Gig Surveillance
An injured worker won an appeal against Insurance and Care NSW after a panel found that the Civil and Administrative Tribunal of New South Wales erred in reviewing the state insurer's handling of her health information under privacy laws.
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November 12, 2026
Clifford Chance Taps Holding Redlich Capital Partner
Clifford Chance said Wednesday that it has taken on Andrew Stone from Holding Redlich for its private capital practice, marking the firm's 11th partner hire in that area in 2026.
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November 12, 2026
Macpherson Kelley Adds Norman Waterhouse Lawyer Smith
Macpherson Kelley has appointed former Norman Waterhouse partner Lincoln Smith as a principal lawyer of its employment, safety and migration team in Adelaide, the law firm announced on Wednesday.
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November 12, 2026
Cotton On Pays $19.8K Over Delayed Injury Reports
Fashion retailer Cotton On has paid $19,800 in penalties after allegedly failing to report serious injuries linked to jeans and a Christmas snow globe sold by its Supre and Typo brands within the two-day legal deadline, the competition watchdog said on Thursday.
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November 12, 2026
ASIC Sues CBA Over $8.5M In Alleged Hidden CommBiz Fees
ASIC is suing the Commonwealth Bank of Australia in the Federal Court of Australia, alleging the bank charged tens of thousands CommBiz customers $8.5million in undisclosed fees, according to a statement on Thursday.
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November 11, 2026
High Court Says Deletion Enough For Unlawful Abattoir Pics
The High Court ruled Wednesday that deleting images an animal rights group took while trespassing on an abattoir operator's land, plus damages, sufficiently addressed the trespasses' consequences without placing the photos' copyright in a constructive trust for the company.
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November 11, 2026
Crocs Maker Suing NSW Retailers Over Alleged Counterfeits
American footwear company Crocs lodged a trademark claim on Wednesday against several retail companies and individuals in the Federal Court of Australia over the sale of alleged counterfeit products.
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November 11, 2026
Macquarie Agrees To $14M Penalty Over 'Welcome Rate' Offer
ASIC said on Wednesday that Macquarie has agreed to pay a $14 million penalty, subject to approval by the Supreme Court of New South Wales, after the bank admitted its welcome rate offer to clients breached the Corporations Act.
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November 11, 2026
Court Ousts Gold Mine Liquidator Over Apprehended Bias
The Federal Court of Australia has replaced the liquidator of Hellyer Metals Pty Ltd over apprehended bias, criticising his failure to investigate a restructuring that stripped the company of its Tasmanian gold mining assets without compensation.
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November 11, 2026
J&J Cold Medicine Class Appeals To Full Federal Court
Plaintiffs in a class action accusing Johnson & Johnson of breaching consumer law by selling allegedly ineffective cold, flu and sinus medications have appealed their case in the Federal Court of Australia.
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November 11, 2026
Federal Court Fair Work Cases Soar 150% Since 2021
The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia has reported a 150% surge in Fair Work filings since the 2021-22 period in its latest annual report published on Tuesday, with Fair Work matters surpassing bankruptcy as the court's largest category in federal law matters.
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November 11, 2026
Xingye Sues Far East Gold Alleging Shareholder Oppression
Hong Kong-based Xingye Gold has launched Supreme Court proceedings against mining explorer Far East Gold, seeking to reinstate three ousted directors and block an equity raising amid a dispute over control of the company's board.
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November 11, 2026
ACCC Says IAG-RAC Deal's Harms Outweigh Public Benefits
Australia's competition watchdog has warned that Insurance Australia Group's $1.4 billion acquisition of RAC Insurance is unlikely to deliver enough public benefits to outweigh the harm to competition in Western Australia's home and motor insurance markets.
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November 11, 2026
NSW Court Clears Billionaire Perich Family's Noumi Takeover
The Supreme Court of New South Wales on Tuesday approved the takeover and privitisation of ASX-listed food and beverage producer Noumi by Arrovest, the billionaire Perich family's private investment company and Noumi's largest shareholder, with Arnold Bloch Leibler advising Noumi.
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November 10, 2026
David Jones Ex-CEO Seeks Buy-Out In Oppression Suit
The former chief executive of David Jones is suing the ailing retailer in the Supreme Court of Victoria, alleging oppressive, prejudicial or discriminatory conduct and seeking a buyout of his shares at fair value.
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November 10, 2026
Palmer Seeks 'Vindication' Over ASIC Donations Prosecution
Billionaire Clive Palmer asked the Federal Court of Australia on Tuesday to lift a stay on his lawsuit against ASIC, with his counsel saying he wanted to prove the regulator had unlawfully used its powers against him.
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November 10, 2026
Australia Plans AI Regulator, Criminal Offence For AI Breaches
The federal government introduced Tuesday mandatory AI safety controls, partly prompted by a "rogue" OpenAI agent infiltrating government systems earlier in 2026 and announced plans for a regulator that can hit AI companies with "significant penalties" while considering a new criminal offense for such incidents.
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November 10, 2026
Gupta's Infrabuild Settles $1B Greensill Debt Dispute Pre-Trial
Steel tycoon Sanjeev Gupta's Australian Infrabuild business has settled with the UK administrators of collapsed Greensill Capital in a dispute over $1 billion owed to the former supply chain finance firm, according to a Supreme Court of New South Wales proceeding on Monday.
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November 10, 2026
Judge Won't Stop Coutts Law Firm Sale Despite Director Fight
A Federal Court judge has refused to stay a proposed sale of Coutts Lawyers & Conveyancers while directors of the law firm fight over the sale following a breakdown in their business relationship, ruling the firm will be in a better position if it proceeds.
Shell Keeps Privilege Over Whistleblower Disclosure Docs
The Queensland Supreme Court dismissed Thursday a bid by a Shell whistleblower to cancel the energy giant's privilege claims over 68 documents, ruling that the Corporations Act did not bar the company from sharing a whistleblower's identity with its lawyers.
Rio Tinto HR Staff Allege Discrimination In Fair Work Suit
Rio Tinto has been hit with a discrimination suit from four staff members in the mining company's human resources team, according to a Fair Work claim filed with the Federal Court of Australia in Perth.
Tesla Says Class Action Doesn't Warrant Independent Referee
Tesla has opposed appointing an independent referee to a class action against the electric vehicle company in the Federal Court of Australia, arguing the technical aspects of the case make one irrelevant.
Shell Keeps Privilege Over Whistleblower Disclosure Docs
The Queensland Supreme Court dismissed Thursday a bid by a Shell whistleblower to cancel the energy giant's privilege claims over 68 documents, ruling that the Corporations Act did not bar the company from sharing a whistleblower's identity with its lawyers.
Rio Tinto HR Staff Allege Discrimination In Fair Work Suit
Rio Tinto has been hit with a discrimination suit from four staff members in the mining company's human resources team, according to a Fair Work claim filed with the Federal Court of Australia in Perth.
Tesla Says Class Action Doesn't Warrant Independent Referee
Tesla has opposed appointing an independent referee to a class action against the electric vehicle company in the Federal Court of Australia, arguing the technical aspects of the case make one irrelevant.
Editor's Picks
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Commercial Disputes Trends For 2027: AI, Privacy And ESG
Lawyers are monitoring commercial use of AI, new privacy legislation and expanding sustainability obligations as 2027's potential breakout areas for commercial disputes, major law firm partners told Law360.
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Billionaire Palmer's Co. Convicted, Fined $10K In QLD Court
Billionaire Clive Palmer's company Palmer Leisure Coolum Pty Ltd has been convicted and fined $10,000 in a District Court of Queensland on Tuesday for breaching takeover law over a proposed acquisition of a timeshare resort scheme, according to a statement by ASIC.
Expert Analysis
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ASIC Win Broadens View Of Fixed-Yield Crypto Products
The High Court of Australia's recent landmark ruling in Australian Securities and Investments Commission v. Web3 Ventures, determining that fixed-yield cryptocurrency products are financial products, endorses an expansive approach to federal law that suggests purposive readings of existing statutes will be favoured over a wait-and-see approach to novel technology, say lawyers at Hall & Wilcox.
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Microsoft Defence Tests Disclosure Rules For Subscriptions
Microsoft recently filed its defence against the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s claim that the company misled consumers about subscription options, setting up a significant contest about disclosure obligations, the nature of subscription software models, and when silence in a sales context amounts to misleading conduct, says Shaun Temby at Maddocks.
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Practice Leader Insights From Phi Finney's Joel Phibbs
Joel Phibbs, Phi Finney's anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing practice lead, discusses the approach of banks when dealing with compliance, the challenges of delays in getting cases to trial, and why financial bodies' regulatory burden and the desire to lower costs using artificial intelligence seem like a recipe for major problems in the future.
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Practice Leader Insights From HSF Kramer's Andrew Bradley
Andrew Bradley, leader of HSF Kramer's financial services regulatory practice in Australia, discusses managing mental health while working on a complex matter, the glaring need for further reform in the financial advice sector, and why this practice area may be the most dynamic and intellectually stimulating.
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Blue Star Shows Why Liquidators Need Approval Rule Reform
The recent Queensland Supreme Court decision in Blue Star Care v. Rimcroft highlights the uncertainty surrounding Section 477(2B) of the Corporations Act court approvals regime, meaning that until outright reform is implemented liquidators must make unsatisfactory choices between what is safe and what is in creditors’ best interests, says Robert True at Quinn Emanuel.
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Australia's Computer Patent Ruling Will Aid Global Companies
While courts around the world have struggled to articulate a technology-neutral test for patentability of computer-implemented inventions, a recent decision by Australia's top court offers a decisive answer, creating strategic opportunities for overseas applicants, say attorneys at Mallesons.
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Decoding Arbitral Disputes: ICSID Enforcement In Australia
The Federal Court of Australia recently ruled for award creditors in Blasket Renewable Investments v. Spain in a judgment that explains how Australia's statute book operationalizes the promise of depoliticized enforcement under the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes Convention while accommodating, without yielding to, the centrifugal forces of European Union law, says Josep Galvez at 4-5 Gray's Inn.