Settling a class action – common fund orders and legal costs
On 30 July 2019, Justice Parker handed down a decision in the Supreme Court of NSW class action Tredrea v KPMG Financial Advisory Services (Australia) Pty Ltd (No 3) [2019] (Tredrea) refusing both to grant a Common Fund Order (sought by the funder at a rate of 30% of the gross settlement reached) or approve the […]
ReadmorePerformance management, workplace bullying and reasonable management action
The management of employee performance is a key component for every successful organisation. However, performance management by its very nature, is difficult and can often lead to a range of legal risks for businesses. One particularly difficult scenario is where an employee alleges the performance management process, or the way in which performance management is […]
ReadmoreConsumer data right coming to the energy sector
The consumer data right (CDR) will provide consumers the right to access specific data in relation to them held by businesses, and to authorise access to this data by trusted and accredited third parties. The aim of the CDR is to provide consumers with more control over their data, which would give consumers more agency […]
ReadmoreFMCG Express | September Edition
Gadens has brought together a selection of articles from our top lawyers operating across the FMCG sector, to bring you the September edition of the FMCG Express. Covering recent stories such as the Kraft vs Bega dispute, the advertising campaign by Ad Standards and Hells Angels Motorcycle Corporation (Australia) Pty Limited v Redbubble Limited [2019] […]
ReadmoreFederal Court finds ticket reseller engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct
In the recent case of ACCC v Viagogo AG, the Federal Court considered whether Viagogo engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct by acting in a way liable to mislead consumers when reselling event tickets in breach of the Australian Consumer Law. This decision is a reminder to businesses to accurately describe the nature of the products or services […]
ReadmoreAFCA now considering legacy complaints dating back to 2008
Until June 2020, AFCA can consider certain Legacy Complaints dating back to 1 January 2008 when administering the AFCA external dispute resolution scheme. This may pose evidentiary challenges both in terms of retention of relevant documents and staff recollection of events which occurred over a decade ago. The expansion of AFCA’s jurisdiction also means that […]
ReadmoreCourt criticises ASIC for lack of evidence to support inquiry into liquidators
The recent Supreme Court of NSW decision of ASIC v Wily & Hurst, provides useful guidance regarding the Court’s criteria to inquire into a liquidator’s conduct under former section 536 of the Corporations Act 2001(Cth). The decision is relevant as to how a Court may determine such an application made under the Insolvency Practice Schedule (Corporations). The decision […]
ReadmoreEmployees’ priority in the insolvency of a trading trust: the Amerind case in the High Court
In the Amerind case, the High Court has unanimously held that the former staff of an insolvent trustee company have the same rights to priority payments as the employees of an insolvent non-trustee company. In doing so, the Court settled a long-standing debate about the nature of a trustee’s right to indemnify itself from trust property for trust […]
ReadmorePotential reform of Australia’s federal discrimination laws
The Australian Human Rights Commission is currently reviewing Australia’s federal discrimination laws and considering what reforms should be made to those laws. To that end, the Commission recently released a discussion paper, “Free and Equal: An Australian Conversation on Human Rights“, setting out its preliminary views on the priorities for reform. The paper notes that […]
ReadmoreNew whistleblower laws: ASIC consults on whistleblower policy requirements
We recently published a comprehensive guide to the new obligations for employers and the expanded protections for whistleblowers, under Australia’s revised corporate whistleblowing regime. That regime commenced operation on 1 July 2019 and creates a significant compliance burden for all companies, including the requirement for some companies to have a whistleblower policy. Who must […]
ReadmoreNo injunction to enforce legal professional privilege – High Court’s decision in Glencore highlights the extreme risks of data breach
The High Court has in Glencore v Commissioner of Taxation[1] determined unanimously that legal professional privilege is not a legal right that is enforceable by way of an injunction when confidential documents enter the public domain, even as a result of theft. Privilege remains a fundamental right but it is only an immunity from complying […]
ReadmoreClass Action against Local Government
In a class action proceeding against a local government for a claim in debt, the plaintiff made an application to strike out parts of the local government’s defence and counter claim that sought to rely on the principles of ‘change of position’, a defence associated with restitution. The application by the plaintiff was dismissed and […]
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