Courts & Legal

Palmer won’t pay speeding fine

22 May 2012 | Alyssa McDonald

Clive Palmer’s election campaign may have to take a back seat to a court skirmish after the mining billionaire vowed to fight a speeding fine.

Thomson misled parliament: Liberals

22 May 2012 | James Massola

Updated | The Coalition has accused Craig Thomson of misleading the parliament on Monday and asked sidelined Speaker Peter Slipper to rule on whether he will face the privileges committee.

US prosecutor says Gupta cheated as trial begins

22 May 2012 |

A former Goldman Sachs Group board member “threw away his duties” in divulging secrets about the investment bank to now-imprisoned hedge fund manager Raj Rajaratnam, a US prosecutor said.

World briefs

22 May 2012 |

PRINT: 22 May 2012 | PAGE 19 |

British bank Barclays plans to sell its entire 19.6 per cent stake in BlackRock for $US6.1 billion. BlackRock will buy back as much as $US1 billion of the shares.

Former Chinese police chief faces treason charges

22 May 2012 |

PRINT: 22 May 2012 | PAGE 19 | Former police chief faces treason charges

The Chinese provincial police chief at the centre of the biggest political scandal to engulf the communist leadership in decades will be tried for treason.

National briefs

22 May 2012 |

PRINT: 22 May 2012 | PAGE 5 |

A pathological gambling addict has lost his appeal to recover more than $20 million which he gambled away at Melbourne’s Crown Casino after alleging the casino deliberately encouraged him to indulge in his addiction.

Thomson criticises Richardson over defamation case

22 May 2012 | Alex Boxsell

PRINT: 22 May 2012 | PAGE 5 | Richardson criticised

Former federal federal Labor minister Graham Richardson’s apparent involvement in MP Craig Thomson’s decision to drop a defamation claim was criticised by Mr Thomson in Parliament yesterday.

Rival unionist rejects Thomson ‘hooker’ set-up claims

22 May 2012 | Mark Skulley

PRINT: 22 May 2012 | PAGE 4 | Rival unionist rejects ‘hooker’ set-up claims

Marco Bolano is a long-time friend and supporter of Kathy Jackson from her home base of Victoria.

Jackson’s court bid to resolve administrator issue

22 May 2012 | Michaela Whitbourn

PRINT: 22 May 2012 | PAGE 4 | HSU seeks single venue for hearing

Health Services Union national secretary Kathy Jackson has launched legal action to prevent two applications to appoint an administrator to the union’s troubled east branch from proceeding in different courts.

Abbott’s high praise for Michael Lawler

22 May 2012 |

PRINT: 22 May 2012 | PAGE 9 | High praise

Tony Abbott heaped praise on Michael Lawler when he appointed him as vice-president of the then-Australian Industrial Relations Commission in 2002. These are his comments:

Abbott link with Lawler dismissed

22 May 2012 | Louise Dodson

PRINT: 22 May 2012 | PAGE 4 | Abbott dismisses Lawler link

Opposition leader Tony Abbott has not spoken to a former appointee of his, Fair Work Australia’s vice president Michael Lawler, for years. Mr Lawler is the partner of Kathy Jackson.

IR power couple one hot item

22 May 2012 | Mark Skulley

PRINT: 22 May 2012 | PAGE 1 | IR power

Embattled MP Craig Thomson’s demands that Fair Work Australia answer questions about the role of one of its vice-presidents, Michael Lawler, in the investigation into the Health Services Union presents a quandary for the tribunal’s new president, Iain Ross.

Jackson demands right of reply

22 May 2012 | Pip Freebairn

PRINT: 22 May 2012 | PAGE 4 | Jackson seeks right of reply

The woman blamed by Craig Thomson for setting him up questioned the scandal-plagued MP’s sanity and demanded a right of reply against the allegation in Parliament.

Thomson gets a distinction in debating

22 May 2012 | Tony Walker

PRINT: 22 May 2012 | PAGE 1 | MP earns a distinction in debating

Right or wrong, Craig Thomson certainly knows how to present an argument.

‘It’s a Fair Work conspiracy’

22 May 2012 | Laura Tingle

PRINT: 22 May 2012 | PAGE 1 | ‘It’s a Fair Work conspiracy’

The Labor government preserved its tenuous hold on power after a defiant speech by MP Craig Thomson to Parliament that questioned whether a senior Fair Work Australia official had influenced a “selective and biased” investigation that found he misused union funds.

FWA: conflict breeds conflict

22 May 2012 | Matthew Stevens

PRINT: 22 May 2012 | PAGE 1 | FWA: conflict breeds conflict

Fair Work Australia’s Graeme Watson argues that the system is trapped in an almost self-reinforcing focus on conflict.

Slipper still doing Speaker roles: Hogg

21 May 2012 |

Peter Slipper is still performing the roles of Speaker despite having stood aside from the role, a Senate estimates committee has heard.

Video | Craig Thomson in Parliament

21 May 2012 |

LIVE | Dobell MP Craig Thomson speaks to parliament about Fair Work Australia’s findings against him in the HSU scandal.

MF Global trustee wins collateral from JPMorgan

21 May 2012 |

The trustee overseeing the return of customer money after the collapse of MF Global has received more than $US168 million from JPMorgan Chase, the first bank payment since the commodities brokerage firm filed for bankruptcy in October.

CFTC said to open inquiry into JPMorgan loss

21 May 2012 |

A federal investigation into JPMorgan Chase’s multibillion-dollar trading loss has widened as regulators pursued a new line of inquiry.

Emotional Thomson attacks Abbott, FWA

21 May 2012 | James Massola

PRINT: 21 May 2012 | PAGE 1 |

Updated | Embattled MP Craig Thomson has declared Opposition Leader Tony Abbott unfit to be an MP and questioned what influence Fair Work Australia’s deputy, Michael Lawler, had over the agency’s investigation into allegations he misused Health Services Union funds.

Convicted Lockerbie bomber dies in Libya

21 May 2012 |

Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi, the only person convicted in the 1988 bombing of an American jetliner over Lockerbie, Scotland, has died in Libya. nearly three years after Scotland released him on humanitarian grounds.

Apple, Samsung CEOs to hold patent talks

21 May 2012 |

The chief executives of Apple and Samsung Electronics are used to running the show at their global tech empires, but they will be in for a different experience when they arrive at a San Francisco federal courthouse.

A fancy mistake

21 May 2012 |

PRINT: 21 May 2012 | PAGE 52 | A fancy mistake

In a statement to the market on Friday, listed trustee The Trust Company left investors in no doubt as to the professional background of its fearless leader John Atkin.

Share buyback fails to ease News doubts

21 May 2012 | Ben Holgate

PRINT: 21 May 2012 | PAGE 4 | Buyback fails to ease News doubts

News Corp’s strong cash flow and plan to double its share buyback program to $US10 billion has buoyed the bulls but bears are in the woods.

World briefs

21 May 2012 |

PRINT: 21 May 2012 | PAGE 16 |

Christian groups in the Philippines have called for a ban on Lady Gaga’s Manila concerts, alleging that her song Judas is an offensive mockery of Jesus Christ.

Queries over Ashby’s penalty claim

21 May 2012 | Hannah Low

PRINT: 21 May 2012 | PAGE 3 | Ashby’s curious claim

The decision of James Ashby to ask for parliamentary speaker Peter Slipper to have a civil penalty imposed for his alleged conduct could backfire on the political staffer’s ability to win his case.

Team Slipper causes a duck for cover

21 May 2012 | Hannah Low

PRINT: 21 May 2012 | PAGE 3 | Some familiar tactics cause a duck for cover

There’s nothing like being beaten at your own game. But that is exactly what happened to James Ashby’s legal team in the Federal Court.

UQ in more damage control

21 May 2012 | Joanna Mather

PRINT: 21 May 2012 | PAGE 2 | UQ in more damage control

The University of Queensland is in the midst of a sweeping governance reform program as it attempts regain the public’s trust following the admissions scandal that forced the resignation of former vice-chancellor Paul Greenfield and his deputy late last year.

Plea to support Dubai detainees

21 May 2012 | Patrick Durkin

PRINT: 21 May 2012 | PAGE 3 | Plea to support Dubai detainees

Foreign Minister Bob Carr is under pressure to intervene on behalf of two Australian property developers soon to face life sentences in Dubai.

Friend at court

19 May 2012 |

PRINT: 19 May 2012 | PAGE 56 | Friend at court

The Prince has been following the claim brought by James Ashby against federal parliamentary Speaker Peter Slipper with some interest, but it is becoming as much about the lawyers as it is about the colourful characters involved in the case.

Way clear for Wilton project as millionaires end dispute

19 May 2012 | Dan Hall

PRINT: 19 May 2012 | PAGE 2 | Way clear for project as millionaires end dispute

The Teoh family of telecommunications entrepreneurs has settled a dispute with Paul Williams in a move that will give them a larger stake in Coal of Queensland.

MFG return is on track

19 May 2012 | John Kehoe

PRINT: 19 May 2012 | PAGE 2 | MFG return is on track

The corporate regulator has defended the liquidator of MF Global, rejecting claims from clients that Deloitte is unfairly delaying the return of more than $300 million.

Tunnel vision on traffic forecast

19 May 2012 | Vesna Poljak

PRINT: 19 May 2012 | PAGE 3 | Tunnel vision on traffic forecast

What’s worth close to $1 billion on paper and just a few million upon construction? A failed toll road. That’s the reality of the RiverCity Motorway Group’s Clem Jones Tunnel for thousands of investors.

IMF to file second suit against Aecom

19 May 2012 | Paulina Duran

PRINT: 19 May 2012 | PAGE 3 | IMF to file second suit

Litigation funder IMF Australia will file a second legal action against traffic forecaster Aecom Australia within the next two weeks.

National briefs

19 May 2012 |

PRINT: 19 May 2012 | PAGE 3 |

A meeting of federal and state transport ministers in South Australia on Friday agreed to set up a national maritime regulator for domestic commercial vessels. The ministers also agreed to set up a land-use planning regime to prevent inappropriate developments around airports.

Windsor calls for integrity check

19 May 2012 | Louise Dodson, James Massola

PRINT: 19 May 2012 | PAGE 1 | Windsor wants integrity check

Parliament should investigate higher standards for MPs, including disqualifying them for a wider range of civil and criminal breaches, independent MP Tony Windsor says.

Crawlies lurk under federal rock

19 May 2012 | Brian Toohey

PRINT: 19 May 2012 | PAGE 4 | Crawlies to be found under federal rock

Toohey | The existing system relies on the AFP to unearth corruption, but that’s not good enough. We need a federal integrity watchdog.

Alleged 'boiler room' mastermind charged

18 May 2012 |

The alleged American mastermind of a network of "boiler rooms" that raised $US35 million by preying on investors in Australia and other parts of the world has been charged in the US with operating a fraudulent stock sale scheme.

Ashby accused of Slipper ambush

18 May 2012 | Hannah Low

PRINT: 18 May 2012 | PAGE 1 | Ashby accused of Slipper ambush

Updated | The political staffer at the centre of the salacious scandal engulfing parliamentary speaker Peter Slipper has been accused of misusing the courts and the media to bolster his claim.

Traffic forecaster in a dark tunnel

PRINT: Capital | 17 May 2012

Exclusive | Traffic forecaster Aecom is being sued by the receivers of RiverCity Motorway for making overly optimistic traffic forecasts in a landmark damages claim worth up to $2 billion.

Give St Hilliers stick, says minister

18 May 2012 | Robert Harley

PRINT: 18 May 2012 | PAGE 1 | Give St Hilliers stick: minister

St Hilliers Construction has restarted work on four projects - one day after work halted as the company went into voluntary administration.

Minter Ellison’s brief on beef

18 May 2012 |

PRINT: 18 May 2012 | PAGE 2 | Minter Ellison’s brief on beef

Law firm Minter Ellison had a starring role in an episode of the ABC’s 7:30 this week, when it was revealed it was acting for a group of farmers affected by the federal government’s live cattle export ban last year.

Shareholder class actions need to be put to trial

18 May 2012 | Steven Glass

PRINT: 18 May 2012 | PAGE 2 | Shareholder class actions need to be put to trial

With last week’s reported $200 million settlement of the long running Centro case, another opportunity for the courts to decide on the methodology for assessing damages in shareholder class actions has slipped away.

Judges echo values of government

18 May 2012 | Rachel Nickless

PRINT: 18 May 2012 | PAGE 2 | Judges echo values of government

Former high court judge Michael Kirby has defended judicial activism saying people are “naive” if they think court decisions are “totally legal”, and backed governments stacking courts with judges who agree with their values.

Views differ on same-sex marriage reform

18 May 2012 | Alex Boxsell

PRINT: 18 May 2012 | PAGE 2 | Separate views on marriage exposed

A review of same-sex marriage by legal groups has balanced the need to remove discrimination from the law with the possibility of obstacles in the constitution.

Net judgments like ‘cold porridge’

18 May 2012 | Rachel Nickless

PRINT: 18 May 2012 | PAGE 2 | Judgments like ‘cold porridge’

Former Federal Court Chief Justice Michael Black has urged judges to write summaries of their judgments in a journalistic style, describing many judgments now on offer on the internet as “cold porridge”.

Technology helps reform evidence laws

18 May 2012 | Alex Boxsell

PRINT: 18 May 2012 | PAGE 2 | Technology helps reform evidence laws

Evidence laws could be modernised to better address new technology and forms of communication under a review by the South Australian Law Reform Institute.

Law firms busy on their own acquisitions

18 May 2012 | James Eyers

PRINT: 18 May 2012 | PAGE 1 | Firms busy on their own acquisitions

Merger and acquisition work has been inconsistent this year due to sluggish transaction markets, but that has not stopped law firms hiring corporate partners from their rivals.

Freehills set to lead in employee relations

18 May 2012 | Rachel Nickless

PRINT: 18 May 2012 | PAGE 1 | Freehills set to lead in employee relations

Freehills is planning to keep its high profile employee relations team of lawyers in a merger with British firm Herbert Smith.

So, you’re acting for Big Tobacco

18 May 2012 | Alex Boxsell

PRINT: 18 May 2012 | PAGE 1 | Fighting for Big Tobacco is not all plain sailing

The decision to act for Big Tobacco is a tough one for law firms. Cigarette companies have deep pockets but their murky image can rub off.

Roxon takes a tough package Washington

18 May 2012 | Alex Boxsell

PRINT: 18 May 2012 | PAGE 1 | ROXON takes a tough package TO WASHINGTON

Federal Attorney-General Nicola Roxon was in Washington DC this week to speak about the government’s cigarette plain-packaging laws.

US firm has $50m to buy MF Global debt

18 May 2012 | John Kehoe

PRINT: 18 May 2012 | PAGE 21 | US firm has $50m to buy MF Global debt

A US distressed debt investment company plans to apply today to buy up to $50 million of debts owed to clients of collapsed broker MF Global Australia.

Ernst & Young on Leighton watch

18 May 2012 | Jenny Wiggins

PRINT: 18 May 2012 | PAGE 2 | Leighton bows to ASIC demands

Leighton Holdings has appointed Ernst & Young as an external consultant to review its continuous disclosure practices after being fined $300,000 by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission earlier this year.

Corbett fired manager accused of IT fraud

18 May 2012 | Hannah Low

PRINT: 18 May 2012 | PAGE 3 | Corbett fired IT manager accused of Woolies fraud

A well-known company director, Roger Corbett, fired the man at the centre of a multimillion-dollar fraud case involving supermarket giant Woolworths after he became concerned about IT systems he was using.

National briefs

18 May 2012 |

PRINT: 18 May 2012 | PAGE 3 |

The competition watchdog has warned that the major supermarkets and petrol retailers are in its sights as it lobbies for increased powers to combat any misuse of their market clout.

Ashby targets Carr, Joyce in human rights complaint

18 May 2012 | Hannah Low

PRINT: 18 May 2012 | PAGE 1 | Ashby targets Carr, Joyce

The political staffer who claims Speaker Peter Slipper sexually harassed him has officially accused ­Foreign Minister Bob Carr and Nationals senator Barnaby Joyce of victimising and demeaning him.

Ashby ‘failed to take genuine steps’

18 May 2012 | Alex Boxsell

PRINT: 18 May 2012 | PAGE 2 | Staffer ‘failed to take genuine steps’

The aggressive trial by media waged by advisers to political staffer James Ashby against former Speaker Peter Slipper risks angering the Federal Court when the hearing begins today.

Forecaster’s tunnel vision

18 May 2012 | Paulina Duran

PRINT: 18 May 2012 | PAGE 1 | Forecaster’s tunnel vision

The financial collapse of the RiverCity Motorway in Brisbane has engulfed the traffic forecaster that advised on the project, Aecom, in a $2 billion lawsuit.

New laws to halt Hardie-style shyness to pay tax

17 May 2012 | Katie Walsh

PRINT: 18 May 2012 | PAGE 1 | New laws to halt Hardie-style shyness to pay tax

The ATO’s special tax adviser Des Maloney has warned that changes to the tax laws should rule out the kind of argument that allowed James Hardie to trump the ATO in a dispute over a $248 million bill.

ATO cracks down on tax, super cheats

17 May 2012 | Katie Walsh

More than 1100 people and 400 companies have been nabbed by the tax man for cheating their tax and superannuation obligations in the nine months to March 31.

Ashby accuses Carr, Joyce of victimisation

17 May 2012 | Hannah Low

Updated | Former Slipper staffer James Ashby has filed a complaint to the Human Rights Commission, claiming he has been victimised by senators Bob Carr and Barnaby Joyce.

ABC Learning director took large deposit

17 May 2012 |

An ABC Learning Centres director arranged for the childcare chain to pay him a deposit dramatically above the standard amount when it purchased three of his own centres, a court has heard.

Rule out James Hardie tax argument, says ATO official

17 May 2012 | Katie Walsh

Companies should not be able to dodge tax on a restructure or merger by claiming that if they knew they faced a tax bill they would have done nothing, a senior official of the Australian Taxation Office has said.

Ashby contact all out in open: Abbott

17 May 2012 |

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says all evidence of contact between Liberal frontbencher Christopher Pyne and a staffer of Speaker Peter Slipper is "innocuous" and on the public record.

NSW Labor to disclose Thomson legal bill

17 May 2012 |

Senior Labor figures say the party needs to disclose how much money the NSW branch gave federal MP Craig Thomson to cover his legal expenses.

JPMorgan hit with shareholders' lawsuit

PRINT: Capital | 17 May 2012

US fund manager Saratoga Capital Management has filed a class-action lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase after the nation's largest bank lost more than $US2 billion in derivatives trading.

Echo cleared of cover-up on MD’s exit

17 May 2012 | Andrew Cleary

PRINT: 17 May 2012 | PAGE 2 | Echo cleared of cover-up on MD’s exit

Updated | It was what management at The Star casino, and its owner Echo Entertainment Group, had been waiting to hear for three months: “The soap opera is over.”

HTC shares tumble as patent case delays US sales

17 May 2012 |

US sales of two new smartphones from Taiwan's HTC will be delayed due to a patent dispute with Apple, a fresh blow to the company as it tries to turn around declining sales in what was once its largest market.

Dewey loses last member of top management team

17 May 2012 |

For Dewey & LeBoeuf, the time may have come for last rites. It has laid off hundreds of employees, been hit with lawsuits for not paying its bills and continues to shed partners.

Pirate Bay attacked by . . . attackers!

17 May 2012 | John Davidson

PRINT: 17 May 2012 | PAGE 2 |

World’s biggest BitTorrent search engine gets to feel what it’s like to be a victim.

FBI confirms preliminary probe into JPMorgan

17 May 2012 |

FBI Director Robert Mueller on Wednesday confirmed that the agency has opened a “preliminary investigation” into JPMorgan Chase & Co, the nation’s largest bank.

Share demand a fresh twist in Sonray saga

17 May 2012 | Patrick Durkin

PRINT: 17 May 2012 | PAGE 3 | Share demand a fresh twist in Sonray saga

A former Sydney car salesman is demanding the return of $2.6 million BHP shares in a legal row which threatens to scuttle a $38.5 million pay-out to investors in collapsed shadow broker Sonray Capital Markets.

FBI investigates blunder

17 May 2012 |

PRINT: 17 May 2012 | PAGE 20 | FBI investigates blunder

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is examining potential wrongdoing surrounding JPMorgan Chase‘s $US2 billion trading loss.

US regulators should act on banks

17 May 2012 | Ben Potter

PRINT: 17 May 2012 | PAGE 2 | Regulators can’t risk inaction on banks

Potter | Regulators should use the powers they’ve been given by Congress to do what Congress lacks the courage to do.

Business upset at phoenix law plans

17 May 2012 | Patrick Durkin

PRINT: 17 May 2012 | PAGE 2 | Business upset at phoenix law plans

The federal government is pushing ahead with reforms to crack down on phoenix companies, despite an outcry by directors and business groups.

Brooks had plenty of friends in high places

17 May 2012 | Patrick Wintour

PRINT: 17 May 2012 | PAGE 2 | Plenty of friends in high places

The decision of the Crown Prosecution Service to charge Rebekah Brooks came early during a cabinet meeting, and will have sent an unwelcome chill through the room.

Tale of two cover-up stories out of News

17 May 2012 | Neil Chenoweth

PRINT: 17 May 2012 | PAGE 1 | The tale of two cover-up stories out of News

The charges laid against six News International staff, including Rebekah Brooks, paint a different picture of the phone hacking scandal than the version given by Rupert Murdoch.

Court hears of sham tenders

17 May 2012 | Hannah Low

PRINT: 17 May 2012 | PAGE 5 | Court hears of sham tenders

A former senior executive of supermarket chain Woolworths has been accused of setting up sham tender processes for multi-million dollar contracts, making $3.7 million from it and hiding the money offshore.

Woolies executive defrauded $3.75m, court told

16 May 2012 |

A former top executive at Woolworths worked with two others to "cheat and defraud" the company of millions of dollars before laundering money abroad, a Sydney jury has been told.

Emerson attended Thomson law firm lunch

16 May 2012 |

Federal cabinet minister Craig Emerson attended an exclusive business lunch hosted by the ALP-paid law firm representing Craig Thomson, two months before the NSW MP was suspended from caucus.

HSU administrator request considered

16 May 2012 | Claire Stewart

The Industrial Relations Commission will decide by Thursday whether the NSW government’s application to have an administrator appointed to the HSU East branch should be heard before Federal Court proceedings begin in June.

Jury considers Oracle patent claims against Google

16 May 2012 |

A California jury has started another round of deliberations in a high-profile trial over allegations that Google’s Android mobile platform violates Oracle’s intellectual property rights.

Thomson faces further AEC probe

16 May 2012 | Gemma Daley

Updated | The Australian Electoral Commission needs to investigate four transactions from the ALP or HSU in relation to Dobell MP Craig Thomson, its analysis of the Fair Work Australia report says.

Regulators should enforce firewalls

16 May 2012 |

US regulators should use JPMorgan Chase’s $US2 billion hedging loss as a spur to take the law into their own hands, says the former chairman of the FDIC.

World briefs

16 May 2012 |

PRINT: 16 May 2012 | PAGE 3 |

Papua New Guinea’s parliament has been dissolved ahead of the June election, after rescinding an earlier vote to delay the poll by six months.

Still working on Down Under song case

16 May 2012 | Hannah Low

PRINT: 16 May 2012 | PAGE 6 | Still at work on song case

A Federal Court judge has criticised record company Larrikin for taking “donkey’s years” to litigate its claim against rock band Men at Work.

FBI probes JPMorgan trading losses

16 May 2012 | David Henry

The FBI has opened a probe into trading losses at JPMorgan Chase & Co, stepping up the pressure on the bank after wrong-way bets led to more than $US2 billion in losses.

Wickenby draws blood

16 May 2012 | Hannah Low

PRINT: 16 May 2012 | PAGE 3 | Wickenby draws blood

Paul Mascall, a target of multi-agency tax evasion probe Project Wickenby has been sentenced to four years behind bars, with his wife, Lesley, sentenced to three.

Why did Ashby make Cabcharge allegations?

16 May 2012 | Marcus Priest

PRINT: 16 May 2012 | PAGE 2 | Why did he bother?

Independent of the political controversy surrounding the appointment of Peter Slipper and the substance of the sexual harassment allegations by his former staffer, there are now some question marks over why claims about misuse Cabcharge dockets were originally included.

Brooks, husband charged in hacking scandal

16 May 2012 | Paola Totaro

PRINT: 16 May 2012 | PAGE 1 | Brooks hid evidence: police

Rebekah Brooks, the former head of News Corp’s UK operations and a confidante of Rupert Murdoch, has been charged with perverting the course of justice over the News of the World phone hacking scandal.

Income first challenge on Facebook’s list

16 May 2012 | Somini Sengupta

PRINT: 16 May 2012 | PAGE 3 | Income first challenge on Facebook’s list

Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s chief, has managed to amass more information about more people than anyone else in history. Now what? Its new test is how to keep growing.

Trio report urges AFP super unit

16 May 2012 | Duncan Hughes

PRINT: 16 May 2012 | PAGE 1 | Trio report urges AFP super unit

A specialist Australian Federal Police unit should be set up to counter the growing threat of the nation’s $1.4 trillion superannuation assets being targeted by criminal gangs, a report is set to recommend.

Yahoo! chief leaves with $US1.5m bonus

16 May 2012 | Michael de la Merced

Yahoo!’s outgoing chief executive, Scott Thompson, will leave the company without severance, but with a cash bonus, after he was forced out after admitting to an erroneous academic record.

Brooks to be charged over phone hacking scandal

15 May 2012 | Paola Totaro

Updated | The former News International executive, Rebekah Brooks, and her husband, Charlie, a race horse trainer and friend of British Prime Minister David Cameron, are to be charged with perverting the course of justice over the News of the World phone hacking scandal.

Experts rounded up on tax evasion

15 May 2012 | Katie Walsh

PRINT: 16 May 2012 | PAGE 3 | Experts rounded up on evasion

The federal government has ruled out debating the merits of toughening tax avoidance rules as it released details of its review of the 30-year-old rules that punish tax evaders.

Ashby waters down Slipper allegations

15 May 2012 | Hannah Low

PRINT: 16 May 2012 | PAGE 1 | Ashby waters down Slipper allegations

James Ashby has abandoned claims that parliamentary Speaker Peter Slipper misused Cabcharge vouchers, saying that to continue them while a criminal investigation was on foot could damage his own case.

Hussey sued by management company

15 May 2012 | Rachel Nickless

PRINT: 16 May 2012 | PAGE 16 | Hussey in firing line

Cricketer David Hussey, the younger brother of Australian Test cricketer Michael Hussey, is being sued in Victoria’s Supreme Court by a sports management company for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Abbott to ‘strongly defend’ defamation claim

15 May 2012 | Mathew Dunckley

PRINT: 16 May 2012 | PAGE 4 | Abbott will defend claim

Updated | Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has hit back at a defamation claim made against him by senior Victorian construction union official John Setka, saying it will be “strongly defended”.

Only Slipper can rule on Thomson

15 May 2012 | Laura Tingle

PRINT: 16 May 2012 | PAGE 2 | Only Slipper can rule on Thomson

The question of whether federal Parliament’s powerful privileges committee will investigate the payment of embattled MP Craig Thomson’s legal fees by the Labor Party must be determined the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Peter Slipper, despite the fact that he has stood aside from his job.

AMR pilots see $130m savings in US Air merger

15 May 2012 |

The lead labour negotiator for AMR Corp pilots said a merger between AMR and competitor US Airways could save $US130 million a year in cuts to bankrupt airline’s pilots’ union.

Lew in hot water over mega-yacht crash: report

15 May 2012 | Ben Woodhead

Solomon Lew has found himself in a spot of legal bother after his 54-metre floating place Maridome allegedly collided with a superyacht in Florida.

Ex-Murdoch confidante to learn phone-hacking fate

15 May 2012 |

Rebekah Brooks, a former top lieutenant in Rupert Murdoch’s media empire, will learn on Tuesday whether she will be charged as part of a phone-hacking scandal at one of his British newspapers.

Settlements don’t fix director duties

15 May 2012 | The Australian Financial Review

PRINT: 15 May 2012 | PAGE 2 | Settlements don’t fix director duties

Editorial | Just as the James Hardie case emphasised that directors are not just there to make up the numbers, the out of court settlement in the Centro case emphasises that auditors are not just there to tick boxes.

Moral dilemma for PM on Thomson

15 May 2012 | Brigitte Dwyer

PRINT: 15 May 2012 | PAGE 53 | Dilemma for PM over Thomson

Mark Latham is right in his “Human frailty made manifest” (Opinion, May 14); there is enough evidence for the Prime Minister to make an ethical judgement about ousted Labor MP Craig Thomson’s suitability for parliament. Not only that, but the detailed and meticulous report was drafted by Fair Work Australia, an independent and respected body which Julia Gillard helped to create.

Questions remain on Williamson

15 May 2012 | Kris Kempson

PRINT: 15 May 2012 | PAGE 53 | Questions remain on Williamson

Ken Glover asked an interesting question in his letter “Why leave union man on full pay” (Letters, May 9) namely why wasn’t Health Services Union president Michael Williamson dismissed over the many allegations against him.

National briefs

15 May 2012 |

PRINT: 15 May 2012 | PAGE 4 |

A $750 million contract has been awarded to a consortium of Abigroup, John Holland and Coleman Rail to build the next stage of Melbourne’s Regional Rail Link.

A hearing set for Gay

15 May 2012 | Carrie LaFrenz

PRINT: 15 May 2012 | PAGE 4 | A hearing set for Gay

A preliminary hearing has been set for five months time in the highly anticipated case of former Gunns chairman John Gay defending himself against insider trading charges brought by the corporate regulator.

Dumping claim aired

15 May 2012 | Hannah Low

PRINT: 15 May 2012 | PAGE 4 | Dumping claim aired

Chinese Aluminium manufacturer PanAsia Aluminium has accused the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service of confusing government influence with a lack of competition.

Legal fees: Thomson issue in the timing

15 May 2012 | Laura Tingle

PRINT: 15 May 2012 | PAGE 2 | Legal fees: it’s in the timing

Tingle | Craig Thomson‘s declarations to federal Parliament’s registry of members’ interests don’t give much detail.

Mexican druglords leave 49 bodies by highway

14 May 2012 |

Less than two months from Mexico’s presidential vote, police said they had found 49 mutilated bodies dumped along a highway north of the country’s third-biggest city.

Former ABC Learning boss pleads not guilty

14 May 2012 |

Former ABC Learning Centres CEO Martin Kemp has pleaded not guilty to charges relating to the collapse of Australia's biggest childcare chain.

Fast track | G+T lures Deutsche banker

14 May 2012 | James Eyers

PRINT: 15 May 2012 | PAGE 1 |

Ben Macdonald will join G+T as a M&A partner in Melbourne, following a career at Deutsche, as more law firms look to hire from investment banks.

US tightens fingerprint ID to chase illegals

14 May 2012 |

Obama administration officials say a contentious fingerprinting program to identify illegal immigrants will be extended, expanding federal enforcement despite widespread opposition.

D’Amore loses bid to overturn corruption finding

14 May 2012 | Hannah Low

Former NSW Labor MP Angela D’Amore has lost her bid to overturn findings that she engaged in corrupt conduct by instructing a staff member to falsify a parliamentary expenses claim.

Truth in takeovers rule needed to address bid confusion

PRINT: Capital | 14 May 2012

Comment | A recent seminar showed just how confusing truth in takeovers has become, as merger advisers call for the Takeovers Panel to publish a rule clarifying the application of ASIC’s controversial policy.

Legal warning for Twitter users in Britain

14 May 2012 |

The internet is not a law-free zone, the British government’s top law officer has warned Twitter users, adding that he would not hesitate to take action over offending posts.

Nokia falls back on patent legacy

14 May 2012 |

Desperate for cash to tide it over until sales ramp up of new products, Nokia Oyj is stepping up its quest for royalties from rivals using its designs as the basis of their technology.

Auditing the auditors: when gatekeepers fail

14 May 2012 | Agnes King

PRINT: 14 May 2012 | PAGE 57 | Red faces, not red ink at PwC audit

Despite all the chest beating about blame for the global financial crisis, it has produced very few claims against auditors. But PwC’s payout in the Centro case has put firms on edge about class actions.

Blame game shows up firms’ flawed culture

14 May 2012 | Agnes King

PRINT: 14 May 2012 | PAGE 1 | Blame game reflects firms’ flawed culture

Finger-pointing in the Centro-PwC class action epitomises the culture of fear, blame and penny pinching at big accounting firms, leadership consultant and former KPMG auditor Mandy Holloway says.

Creditors to vote on MF Global debt

14 May 2012 | John Kehoe

PRINT: 14 May 2012 | PAGE 12 | Creditors to vote on MF Global debt

Investors may be able to sell MF Global accounts if creditors vote in favour of the move, and distressed debt specialists have made inquiries about buying positions.

TRUenergy troubled by complaint

14 May 2012 | Angela Macdonald-Smith

PRINT: 14 May 2012 | PAGE 1 | TRUenergy troubled by complaint

TRUenergy, which is gearing up for a potential $3 billion-plus initial public offering, has sought to strike out some complaints made by a former executive who has launched legal action over her dismissal.

Apache warns of terrorism

14 May 2012 | Geoff Winestock

PRINT: 14 May 2012 | PAGE 1 | Apache warns of terrorism

Oil and gas company Apache is appealing to a WA court to prevent the release of documents which it says could help an attack by “trans-national terrorists”.

Code for conduct unbecoming

14 May 2012 | Gemma Daley

PRINT: 14 May 2012 | PAGE 1 | Code for conduct unbecoming

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has backed a proposal for a Code of Conduct for MPs that was put on ice six months ago as the government struggles to deflect attention away from embattled MP Craig Thomson.

Bank adds to HSU case saga

14 May 2012 | Mark Skulley

PRINT: 14 May 2012 | PAGE 2 | Bank adds to HSU case saga

The federal and NSW governments head into mediation this week over the appointment of an administrator to the Health Services Union’s East branch, which has been complicated by Commonwealth Bank of Australia having a multimillion-dollar credit exposure to the HSU.

Hooker scandal a set-up: Thomson

12 May 2012 |

Federal MP Craig Thomson says resentment within the Health Services Union led to a rival official setting up an elaborate plot to ruin his burgeoning political career.

JPMorgan’s shares, rating and reputation hit hard

12 May 2012 |

JPMorgan Chase & Co lost $US15 billion in market value and a notch in its credit ratings on Friday while a chorus of regulators and politicians reacted to its surprise $US2 billion trading loss.

That’s settled

12 May 2012 |

PRINT: 12 May 2012 | PAGE 56 | That’s settled

When word of the $200 million settlement of the epic Centro shareholder class action filtered out, many of the names of the major parties involved were absent.

Centro: the mother of class acts

12 May 2012 | Nick Lenaghan

PRINT: 12 May 2012 | PAGE 3 | Centro: the mother of class acts

The epic Centro class action trial, the largest in Australian legal history, proved to be a real nail-biter and a nightmare that many would rather forget.

Integrity comes before loyalty

12 May 2012 | Anna Bernasek

PRINT: 12 May 2012 | PAGE 3 | Integrity comes before loyalty

Bernasek | There seems to be a never-ending supply of companies that engage in lawbreaking and then try to cover it up. It rarely ends well.

Beware the thief in a suit

12 May 2012 | Duncan Hughes

PRINT: 12 May 2012 | PAGE 3 | Beware the thief in a suit

Sophisticated criminals have stolen millions in retirement savings and they are not about to stop, warns the Australian Crime Commission.

National Briefs

12 May 2012 |

PRINT: 12 May 2012 | PAGE 4 |

The NSW government will “vigorously defend” a High Court challenge to its public service wages policy.

HSU rorts go back to the 60s

12 May 2012 | Pamela WilliamsEditor-at-large

PRINT: 12 May 2012 | PAGE 2 | HSU rorts go back to the 60s

Many poorly-paid HSU union members paid their dues and are paying again, dearly – and even double.

Police check credit union records

12 May 2012 | Mark Skulley

PRINT: 12 May 2012 | PAGE 3 | Requests to credit union

SGE Credit Union received three requests from police for information on specific accounts, but has denied being raided as part of investigations into the Health Services Union.

Bank fees class action goes to High Court

12 May 2012 | Claire Stewart

PRINT: 12 May 2012 | PAGE 1 | Fees case to

The largest class action case in Australian history will be resolved sooner than expected.

Trades to protect bank from credit stress did opposite

12 May 2012 | Jonathan Shapiro and Paulina Duran

PRINT: 12 May 2012 | PAGE 1 | Trades supposed to protect bank from credit stress did opposite

Chief executive Jamie Dimon and JPMorgan have long been recognised as the masters of risk management, coasting relatively unscathed through the financial crisis that decimated their rivals. After Thursday’s revelation, that reputation is no longer untarnished.

Price of legal certainty in Centro case is $200m

PRINT: Capital | 11 May 2012

The record $200 million deal between Centro, PwC and its shareholders was struck this week because the class action laws are so uncertain.

High Court to hear bank fee challenge

11 May 2012 |

The High Court will hear a class action by customers of the ANZ Bank alleging it charged excessive fees for overdrafts, overdrawn accounts, dishonour fees and over-the-limit credit card accounts.

Student workers’ short shifts survive

11 May 2012 | Mark Skulley

Australia’s biggest union has failed to overturn a ruling allowing school-aged casual workers to work short shifts, in a decision that will be welcomed by the retail sector.

Businesses sprung using carbon tax to gouge

11 May 2012 |

Australia's competition watchdog says it has already come across businesses using the imminent introduction of the carbon tax to gouge consumers.

Deutsche Bank settles US mortgage fraud case

11 May 2012 |

A Deutsche Bank mortgage unit has agreed to pay $US202.3 million to settle one of the biggest US government civil fraud lawsuits over reckless mortgage lending practices.

Insurer should pay legal fees in insider trading case

11 May 2012 |

A US judge said he is prepared to order an insurer to keep paying the legal fees of several former hedge fund managers and traders caught up in an insider trading investigation.

Dewey fires 450 New York staff, lawsuit alleges

11 May 2012 |

Dewey & LeBoeuf has terminated about 450 people at its New York office effective Friday, according to a lawsuit filed by an employee who complained the law firm failed to give her adequate notice.

Coulson denies Murdoch-government conspiracy

11 May 2012 |

UK Prime Minister David Cameron's former spin doctor has denied any "grand conspiracy" between the government and the Murdoch empire as he gave evidence to the Leveson inquiry.

Murdoch has 'selective amnesia', Leveson inquiry told

11 May 2012 |

Rupert Murdoch may have been suffering "selective amnesia" when he claimed he forgot a key lunch with Margaret Thatcher, the Leveson inquiry has heard.

British PM feels wrath of Murdoch press

11 May 2012 | Estelle Shirbon

Embarrassed by revelations of how he cosied up to Rupert Murdoch's British newspaper group, David Cameron has now lost what the relationship was supposed to deliver: support from the Murdoch press.

Mixed signals on house finance

11 May 2012 | Tony Boyd

PRINT: 11 May 2012 | PAGE 1 | Mixed signals on house finance

NAB chief executive Cameron Clyne says we live in a 10-speed economy that is full of confusing signals.

Unionist’s rights

11 May 2012 | Brian G Tennant

PRINT: 11 May 2012 | PAGE 55 | Unionist’s rights

Why leave Health Services Union national president Michael Williamson on full pay, asks Ken Glover (Letters, May 9). The official is being investigated over allegations he received secret commissions from a union supplier.

Women’s law awards up for review

11 May 2012 | Alex Boxsell

PRINT: 11 May 2012 | PAGE 2 | Women’s awards up for review

Law firms love using citations from the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency to bolster their marketing material and appeal to graduates, but these awards may soon be much harder to get.

Departing CJ warns on money machines

11 May 2012 | Rachel Nickless

PRINT: 11 May 2012 | PAGE 2 | Departing CJ warns on money machines

Retiring South Australian Chief Justice John Doyle says some law firms are money-making machines, and that civil litigation would “strangle itself” unless reformed.