Abstract

Some factors in approval of Class Action

Article

In Money Mix Int Ltd v QBE Insurance Group Ltd [2018] FCA 1030, in an application for the Court approval of a settlement under s 33V of the Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth), the following issues were adjudicated upon:

• whether the proposed settlement was fair and reasonable
• whether the legal costs charged by legal representatives were reasonable
• whether the proposed settlement administration costs were reasonable
• the use of independent costs experts
• the use of court-appointed referees to decide the reasonableness of legal costs
• whether a proposed funding rate was appropriate
• whether the applicants’ reimbursement claims were reasonable