High life of crypto kings as hunt for missing millions deepens
Meet the three men behind NGS Crypto, a flashy scheme run from a suburban rental, that took about $60m from investors before authorities secretly froze a string of assets in court.
Legal Affairs
‘Lawfare’ looms as Environmental Defenders Office cleared
Australia’s LNG industry had been assured the federal government would close a legal avenue hampering the industry, but now a chief antagonist has been cleared for ongoing funding.
SkyCity to pay $67m fine for money laundering breaches
SkyCity will pay a $67m penalty to settle a money laundering case brought against the Adelaide Casino, which alleged that more than $4bn was gambled by 59 suspicious customers.
Mood at melting point as Gupta’s broken promises mount
Faith that Sanjeev Gupta’s GFG Alliance can deliver on its promises to modernise the Whyalla steelworks have worn thin, while his European assets face their own challenges.
Star wins stay of execution over Queensland licence
The Queensland government has granted a new reprieve to Star Entertainment’s local operations, while awaiting the outcome of the inquiry in NSW.
LGT Crestone backs niche alternatives with new fund
The adviser to the super rich sees potential for strong returns in its new litigation, royalty and insurance finance fund.
Fast-food chain hit with $2.5m fine
The fast-food restaurant chain has been fined after sending millions of marketing messages to customers within four months.
Sofronoff faces unequal application of the law
The decision to subject Walter Sofronoff, KC, to a corruption inquiry raises issues of principle that do not reflect favourably on the government of the ACT.
Court win for coal, gas sparks green fury
New coal and gas projects can be approved without the Environment Minister needing to consider climate harm, a court has ruled.
Baby Reindeer 2.0: woman guilty of stalking lawyers
Kobi Langshaw, now barred from coming within 2km of the Perth CBD, was ‘completely infatuated’ with one man while harbouring a hatred for another in a case reminiscent of the hit Netflix series.
Fund for detainee court challenges
Labor will spend millions to fend off legal action launched in the wake of the NZYQ decision, and to administer a scheme managing potentially dangerous criminals released into society.
We didn’t ‘cloak’ report into cyber attack: Optus
Optus is fighting to keep a report into a disastrous cyber attack that struck millions of customers a secret, but denies it’s trying to ‘cloak’ it from the courts.
Integrity inquiry looms for Sofronoff
The ACT Integrity Commissioner has begun a corruption investigation into the conduct of Walter Sofronoff KC while chairing a probe into Bruce Lehrmann’s rape trial.
Call to curb ‘improper’ rape trial grilling
Members of the Attorney-General’s advisory group are urging the government to crack down on ‘inappropriate’ defence counsel questioning in rape trials and to introduce specialist sexual assault courts.
‘Free speech’ players demand to join terror attack footage case
Australia’s eSafety commissioner is fighting in court to prevent US free speech activists from intervening in its legal battle to keep footage of an alleged terror attack on a bishop offline.
Decision day for Labor on detainees
The Albanese government is bracing for another landmark High Court ruling which could trigger the release of as many as 200 more non-citizen detainees.
Our racial violence laws are not fit for purpose
The Australian Federal Police face the almost impossible task of enforcing laws against inciting racial and religious violence that do not come within a bull’s roar of being fit for purpose.
DPP: No problem here with judges
Chief prosecutor Sally Dowling privately told the new head of the District Court she has no problems with any NSW judges, despite having made complaints against at least three of them.
Legal glitch may block Callide C report from public
Households have paid bigger bills since the Callide C power station blew up in 2021, but the Queensland government company behind it wants to keep the reasons for the explosion secret.
‘Unfairly discriminatory’ warning on rushed youth bail reforms
‘These kids need support and guidance, not incarceration’: Judge criticises new NSW bail laws for young repeat offenders.
Stockbroker ‘distracted by dispute, Hollywood’
Fortrend broker Joe Forster’s ‘acrimonious’ family dispute and his work on a script to pitch to Hollywood left him distracted from running his business, the Federal Court has heard.
Harder to reform Star’s casino, says gaming monitor
Gaming financial monitor Kroll says Star’s broader array of gaming products makes its reform process much harder than rival Crown, whose own monitoring has come to an end.
Bonza’s US owner accused of fraud
The US owner of collapsed Australian budget airline Bonza, 777 Partners, has been accused in a lawsuit filed in New York of a $600m fraud.
Council’s trans rights cover-up
Incriminating emails sought under right to information were withheld by the Hobart City Council, which is suppressing a report into the conduct it concedes may have been criminal.
Magnis Energy dumped by its US legal firm
In a notice lodged to a Delaware court in the US, corporate law firm K&L Gates said Magnis had ‘failed to fulfil substantial payment obligations to counsel’.
Sell Sydney casino in order to survive, Star urged
Star Entertainment Group may have to sell its Sydney casino in order to survive the growing turmoil facing the troubled gaming company following the Bell II inquiry.
Crypto company ‘needed a licence and breached law’
Gold Coast-based PBS Financial broke the law when it offered digital currency by running a business without a financial services licence, the Federal Court has found.
Setback for Qantas pilot suing for sex discrimination
A Qantas pilot suing the airline for sexual harassment and discrimination is fighting on, despite a setback in her Federal Court case.
Women lose battle of sexes on legal talent list
More than 300 Australian solicitors have been named on a competitive Lawyer of the Year list, with considerably more men than women voted into the rankings. | FULL LIST
Report backs Victoria class action funding model
Class action members in Victoria have kept more money in their pockets after a key rule change in the state.
Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/legal-affairs/page/23