Plaintiff v Defendant [2026] VSC 97 | Case summary

Supreme Court of Victoria|2026-03-11|Before: Waller J

For the reasons set out above and in the confidential annexure, and subject to the cautionary observations I have made, I am satisfied that this is an appropriate case in which to exercise the discretion conferred by s 33ZDA(3) to vary the Initial GCO. In the circumstances, I am satisfied that the Proposed Varied GCO should be made.

[1] Byrnes v Origin Energy Limited [2025] VSC 504 (Waller J) (Byrnes).

[2] Allen v G8 Education Ltd (No 4) J) (); J) (); J) (); J); J); J) ().

[3] Affidavit of Mr Timothy Finney affirmed on 11 November 2025, [11]-[12] (Third Finney Affidavit).

[4] Lieberman v Crown Resorts Ltd [2025] VSC 596, [46] (Nichols J); Gehrke v Noumi Limited [2022] VSC 672, [56]-[59] (Nichols J), cited in Kilah & Anor v Medibank Private Limited [2024] VSC 152, [46]-[47] (Attiwill J) (Kilah).

[5] Allen (No 4) [2024] VSC 487, [63] (Watson J).

[6] Mumford v EML Payments Limited [2022] VSC 750, [14] (Delany J) (Mumford), quoting Gehrke v Noumi Ltd [2022] VSC 672, [53(e)] (Nichols J).

[7] Allen (No 4) [2024] VSC 487, [63] (Watson J).

[8] Ibid; Fuller [2025] VSC 160, [161] (Matthews J).

[9] Fox & Anor v Westpac Banking Corporation; Crawford v Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd & Ors [2021] VSC 573; (2021) 69 VR 487, 529-30 [148] (Nichols J) (Fox).

[10] Allen (No 4) [2024] VSC 487, [63] (Watson J).

[12] Allen (No 4) [2024] VSC 487, [98]-[101] (Watson J); Fuller [2025] VSC 160, [173]-[174] (Matthews J); Gehrke [2025] VSC 373, [194] (Delany J).

[13] Mumford [2022] VSC 750, [95] (Delany J).

[14] Fox [2021] VSC 573; (2021) 69 VR 487, [145] (Nichols J); McCoy [2025] VSC 553, [92] (Delany J).

[15] Allen (No 4) [2024] VSC 487, [66] (Watson J).

[17] Fox [2021] VSC 573; (2021) 69 VR 487, [21] (Nichols J); Bogan & Anor v The Estate of Peter John Smedley (Deceased) & Ors (2023) 72 VR 394, [53]-[54] (Ferguson CJ, Niall and Macaulay JJA) (Bogan Appeal).

[18] Bogan & Anor v The Estate of Peter John Smedley (Deceased) & Ors [2022] VSC 201, [[105](e)] (John Dixon J) (Bogan); Laricchia v WiseTech Global Ltd [2025] VSC 482, [53] (Croft J) (Laricchia). See also Gawler v FleetPartners Group Ltd [2024] VSC 365, [37], [45]-[46] (Waller J) (Gawler).

[19] Gawler [2024] VSC 36, [46] (Waller J).

[20] Fox [2021] VSC 573; (2021) 69 VR 487, [20] (Nichols J); Allen v G8 Education Ltd [2022] VSC 32, [28] (Nichols J) (Allen); Bogan [2022] VSC 201, [[12](f)] (John Dixon J); Lieberman v Crown Resorts Ltd [2022] VSC 787, [71]-[82], [[83](e)] (Stynes J) (Lieberman - GCO Application).

[21] Gawler [2024] VSC 36, [24] (Waller J).

[22] Nelson v Beach Energy; Sanders v Beach Energy [2022] VSC 424, [87]-[102] (Nichols J) (Nelson); Lieberman - GCO Application [2022] VSC 787, [57]-[61] (Stynes J).

[23] Money Max Int Pty Ltd v QBE Insurance Group Ltd [2016] FCAFC 148; (2016) 245 FCR 191, 209 [79] (Murphy, Gleeson and Beach JJ).

[24] Contradictor's Outline of Submissions filed on 9 December 2025, [11] (Contradictor's Outline of Submissions).

[25] Adam P Brown Male Fashions v Philip Morris [1981] HCA 39; (1981) 148 CLR 170, 177-8 (Gibbs CJ, Aickin, Wilson and Brennan JJ); Brimaud v Honeysett Instant Print Pty Ltd (1988) 217 ALR 44, 46-7 (McLelland J); P Dawson Nominees Pty Ltd & Anor v ASIC & Ors (No 2) [2009] FCA 413; (2009) 255 ALR 466, [49] (Goldberg J); Pivotel Satellite Pty Ltd v Optus Mobile Pty Ltd [2010] FCA 121, [26] (Jagot J); CIP Group Pty Ltd v So (No 5) [2024] FCA 1373, [14]-[18] (Derrington J).

[27] Transcript of Proceedings, Byrnes v Origin Energy Ltd (No 2) (Supreme Court of Victoria, Waller J, 2 February 2026) 118:28-119:2 (Transcript).

[28] Bogan [2022] VSC 201 (John Dixon J).

[29] Ibid [93], [105] (John Dixon J).

[30] Laricchia [2025] VSC 482 (Croft J).

[33] Allen [2022] VSC 32, [66] (Nichols J).

[34] Cf Bogan [2022] VSC 201, [[105](a)] (John Dixon J).

[38] Plaintiff's Submissions in Support of the GCO Variation Application filed on 11 November 2025, [35]-[36] (Plaintiff's Submissions).

[40] Contradictor's Outline of Submissions, [79].

[41] Vince Morabito, 'Has Victoria's Class Action Regime Secured Access to Justice for Victims of Mass Harm?' (2026) 45(1) Civil Justice Quarterly 18, 28-9, Annexure A.

[42] Max Douglass, A Model for the Nation?: Four Years of Victoria's Section 33ZDA (McKell Institute Report, May 2024) 18 (McKell Institute Report).

[43] Allen (No 4) [2024] VSC 487, [69]-[74] (Watson J).

[44] Ibid [69]-[74], [77]-[84] (Watson J).

[47] [2025] VSC 690 (Craig J) (Collens).

[48] Ibid [[41](a)]-[41](b)] (Craig J).

[49] Contradictor's Outline of Submissions, Annexure, PFM Response to Contradictors, 52.

[50] Contradictor Outline of Submissions, [138], citing Affidavit of Mr Scott Byrnes affirmed on 11 November 2025, [9]-[14], [22].

[51] Tenth Vandy Pty Ltd v Natwest Markets Australia Pty Ltd [2006] VSC 170, [41]-[46] (Hargrave J) (Tenth Vandy); Racovalis v Rescom Mortgages Pty Ltd [2010] VSCA 55; (2010) 28 VR 250, [30] (Harper JA and Emerton AJA) (Racovalis); Liu v The Age Company Ltd & Ors [2016] NSWCA 115; (2016) 92 NSWLR 679, [13] (Beazley P), [168]-[199] (McColl JA), [292] (Ward JA); East Gippsland Building Permits Pty Ltd & Anor v Singleton [2025] VSC 572, [53]-[59] (Watson J) (East Gippsland).

[53] Bogan [2022] VSC 201, [14] (John Dixon J); Bogan Appeal (2023) 72 VR 394, [57] (Ferguson CJ, Niall and Macaulay JJA).

[54] Third Finney Affidavit, [78]-[79]; Contradictor's Outline of Submissions, Annexure, PFM Response to Contradictors, 58.

[55] Affidavit of Mr Timothy Finney affirmed on 20 December 2025, [46]-[55] (Fourth Finney Affidavit).

[57] Ibid [23] (Waller J), citing Allen [2022] VSC 32, [18] (Nichols J); Bogan [2022] VSC 201, [13](a) (John Dixon J); Raeken Pty Ltd v James Hardie Industries PLC [2024] VSC 173, [7], [10] (M Osborne J); Norris v Insurance Australia Group Ltd [2024] VSC 76, [14] (Nichols J), citing Fox [2021] VSC 573; (2021) 69 VR 487, 499 [31] (Nichols J); DA Lynch v Star Entertainment Group; Drake v Star Entertainment Group; Huang v Star Entertainment Group; Jowene v Star Entertainment Group [2023] VSC 561, [27] (Nichols J); Kilah [2024] VSC 152, [11] (Attiwill J), citing Gehrke v Noumi Ltd [2022] VSC 672, [53] (Nichols J).

[58] East Gippsland [2025] VSC 572, [52]-[60] (Watson J). See also Racovalis [2010] VSCA 55; (2010) 28 VR 250, [30], [34] (Harper JA and Emerton AJA), citing Tenth Vandy [2006] VSC 170 (Hargrave J).

[60] Nelson [2022] VSC 424, [97] (Nichols J).

[61] Collens [2025] VSC 690, [[41](a)]-[41](b)] (Craig J).

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