By: Amanda Beattie, Jonathon Ferraro and Madeleine Wright Byrnes v Origin Energy (No 2) 2026 VSC 97 Another first for the Victorian GCO regime In a judgment delivered by Justice Waller on 11 March 2026, the Supreme Court of Victoria determined the first application to amend a Group Costs Order (GCO) pursuant to s 33ZDA(1) […]
By: Amanda Beattie, James Clohesy and Zoe Jones At a glance This is the second article in our series examining climate change litigation and forecasting emerging trends in the Australian market. Our first article surveyed the global litigation landscape and identified key themes that will shape future disputes. This article turns to Australia, outlining the […]
By: Laura Gavan and Kirsty Easdale Helensburgh Coal Pty Ltd v Bartley [2025] HCA 29 The High Court of Australia has recently clarified the scope of an employer’s redeployment obligations where an employer seeks to defend an alleged unfair dismissal on the basis of genuine redundancy. In Helensburgh Coal Pty Ltd v Bartley [2025] HCA […]
Wotton Kearney is pleased to share some important news about the leadership of our Property, Energy and Infrastructure team, effective 1 July 2025. After eight years of leading the team, Adam Chylek will be stepping into a new strategic role within the firm. Under Adam’s guidance, the team has grown significantly, expanded into emerging markets, […]
Wotton Kearney is delighted to announce the five finalists of the 2024/25 W+K Turning Point competition. The 2024/25 competition, which was launched in July, threw out a challenge to the insurance industry’s most creative and progressive thinkers to outline their idea for a white paper that explores and leads the next generation of ideas in […]
Following Australia’s east coast energy crisis, the Minister for Climate Change and Energy announced a faster transition to renewable energy. To meet the government’s goals, Australia is moving at a break-neck pace to transition to renewables, and insurance players are watching closely as new risk patterns emerge. Property, Energy + Infrastructure partner Edward Burrell and […]
The NSW Government’s framework to address high-risk combustible cladding remains a live issue plagued by confusion around the application of the product ban on combustible Aluminium Composite Panels (ACPs). The NSW Auditor General’s recent report found that uncertainty persists around compliance and how councils have interpreted the product ban. This has resulted in costly and […]
Earlier this year, a new ‘trailing liability’ regime was introduced with amendments to the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 (Cth). These changes ensure former titleholders carry a liability, even if their title has been disposed of, surrendered or terminated. With a predicted estimated liability of USD $40.5 billion for well plugging, abandonment […]
Onshore and offshore wind farms are the fastest growing renewable energy source in Australia, and the demand is accelerating. This growth is enabled by evolving wind technology, which continues to present distinct and expensive challenges for operators and their insurers. In this article, Adam Chylek and Doug Heard look at how insurers are actively informing […]
Earlier this month the Australian Federal Court provided helpful guidance to insurers entering into settlement agreements with their insureds. The Full Court in AAI Insurance Limited trading as Vero Insurance v Technology Swiss Pty Ltd considered the doctrine of subrogation, how it applies when entering “full and final” settlement agreements before recovery is commenced, and […]
