September
Sacked CFMEU leader goes to High Court to fight takeover
The CFMEU’s ousted leadership has sworn to keep fighting for years just as other unions disband branches or threaten administration over misconduct claims.
- David Marin-Guzman
August
High Court asks: If a judge punched a lawyer, could anyone be sued?
The question of what a judge has to do in order to be sued was at the heart of a High Court hearing that pondered a $300,000 payout against a judge for wrongly jailing a family law litigant.
- Michael Pelly
- Exclusive
- Building Bad
CFMEU mulls High Court challenge, employers also face scrutiny
CFMEU national secretary Zach Smith is not ruling out a High Court challenge to legislation forcing the union’s construction divisions into administration.
- Phillip Coorey and David Marin-Guzman
July
The High Court’s youngest judge is its new contrarian
James Edelman was once mistaken for a drinks waiter by a fellow judge at a cocktail party, now he’s arguably the High Court’s most interesting justice.
- Michael Pelly
June
The man who made ‘saintly’ judge lose his cool
A biography of Sir Gerard Brennan reveals the family man who will be remembered for his Mabo judgment.
- Michael Pelly
How the High Court ‘stunned’ Eddie Mabo’s lawyers and saved the case
Three decades later, members of Mabo case’s legal team reflect on the moment that turned their approach to the historic land rights case.
- Michael Pelly
Mabo hasn’t closed the gap, even in the Pilbara
Two of the lawyers behind the landmark claim by land rights activist Eddie Mabo say native title “hasn’t spread the wealth evenly”.
- Michael Pelly
May
Judge chides critics who want to ‘regulate class actions out of existence’
The newest member of the High Court, Justice Robert Beech-Jones, also gave qualified support to competition between courts.
- Michael Pelly
PM’s pension now in the hands of Stephen Jones
Five still-serving Labor parliamentarians will have their pension schemes tweaked by the financial services minister. As will all the nation’s senior judges.
- Updated
- Myriam Robin
High Court hands Labor rare win on immigration detention
Immigration Minister Andrew Giles welcomed the ruling in the case of the man known as ASF17, who says he would face persecution if he was sent back to Iran.
- Updated
- Tom McIlroy
- Analysis
- Immigration
No more gaming the system, says High Court
The High Court has sent a clear message: those “manipulating the system” won’t be rewarded with a get-out-of-detention free card.
- Michael Pelly
- Opinion
- Legal industry
How the US Supreme Court became a political organisation
When judges make decisions that should be left to politicians, they undermine democracy.
- Amanda Stoker
High Court rejects Crown immunity for sacred sites damage
The custodians of Kakadu National Park have won a test case in the High Court over a walking track at picturesque Gunlom Falls.
- Michael Pelly
March
Sacked Qantas ground workers to finally settle compo
The Federal Court will decide on how much to compensate Qantas workers illegally sacked during the depths of the pandemic.
- Updated
- Ayesha de Kretser
High Court win for corruption bodies comes with a warning
Victoria’s anti-corruption body dodged a bullet on Wednesday after a High Court ruling cleared the way for it to complete a stalled investigation.
- Michael Pelly
February
Native title victory over Glencore project
Native title owners have won a High Court battle with Glencore over a dredging project to support the McArthur River Mine
- Michael Pelly and Peter Ker
A fight over a bauxite mine may launch a new era for land rights
The High Court will decide the third great native title case this year, a decision that may overturn every land title in the Northern Territory for 67 years.
- Michael Pelly
January
Qantas locked in new legal battle with US workforce
Engineers at Los Angeles International Airport have filed a class action against Qantas, alleging underpayment of wages and other violations of California labour laws.
- Ayesha de Kretser
- Exclusive
- Regulation
ASIC to pursue riskier litigation strategy in 2024
Chairman Joe Longo says corporate regulator will focus on financial services, crypto, superannuation and target firms operating in grey areas of the law.
- Ronald Mizen
December 2023
Immigration detention laws pass as fourth ex-detainee arrested
Canberra has already started identifying the “worst of the worst” offenders to go back into immigration detention as it circumvents a High Court ruling.
- Updated
- Andrew Tillett