QLD warns courts off gen AI

Higgins’ last-minute appeal

ADNOC pulls takeover bid

A new study has found that legal AI tools can now match or even outperform human lawyers in contract drafting. The top AI (73.3%) edged out the best-performing lawyer (70%) on reliable first drafts. AI also flagged material risks that no human caught. Maybe our jobs really are at risk… Artificial Lawyer

Federal Court judge Bernard Murphy has officially hit 1,100+ days without a ruling in the Brambles shareholder class action, despite publicly promising a judgment “within two months” back in May. He’s also yet to decide the Domino’s wage theft case, last heard in 2022. And he retires next year… Goes to show deadlines truly are arbitrary: AFR

Turns out the billable hour is not (yet) dead. At Techlaw.Fest 2025, legal AI leaders and clients agreed the billable hour isn’t going away. But, the pressure is on for firms to offer more transparent, fixed-fee and hybrid pricing. Microsoft’s Tania Pavaskar likened her dream model to Netflix: fixed base + optional extras. PwC’s Eric Chin says clients still pay top dollar for judgment, but AI should eat the grunt work: Law.com

QLD is jumping on the anti-AI bandwagon. Queensland Courts have issued guidelines warning judges not to use gen AI to draft or decide cases. Judicial reasoning must be the judge’s own, though AI may be used as a secondary research tool. The move follows a spate of fake citations in submissions, especially from self-represented litigants. Judges can now query parties if AI use is suspected, and lawyers must confirm they’ve verified all AI-assisted research: Lawyerly

How do you actually cancel a general insurance policy? Under the Insurance Contracts Act, insurers can only cancel a general insurance policy in very limited situations, like non-disclosure, misrepresentation, premium default or fraud. They must also provide written notice and, if asked, written reasons. By contrast, insured have it easie - they can generally cancel at any time if the policy allows, usually with written notice and a refund of unused premium. The case law and legislative history show Parliament intended insurers to cancel only for “good reason”, curbing the broad rights they once had: KWM

On your daily commute, you’ve likely thought: What are the arbitration formalities in Australia? Well, today’s your day. Kalus Kenny Intelex has delivered a brief snapshot of Australia’s arbitration process. It covers how Australia is a Model Law state, empowered by the International Arbitration Act 1974 (Cth), while domestic arbitration is governed by uniform state and territory legislation that closely mirrors it. Arbitration agreements must be in writing, tribunals can grant interim relief, and awards are enforceable under the New York Convention, with limited grounds for challenge such as invalidity, procedural unfairness or public policy: Lexology

Here’s some good news to get you through the rest of the week - you can now fly with your pets. Virgin Australia is letting small dogs and cats under 8kg fly in-cabin on the Melbourne-Gold Coast route, with fares from $149 a pet. Only four pets per flight are allowed, seated in rows 19–20. The trial runs until January, with Virgin citing overwhelming customer demand: AFR

Brittany Higgins has lodged a last-minute appeal against the finding she defamed Linda Reynolds, stalling any bankruptcy action over the $340k damages award and up to $2m in costs. The move delays Reynolds’ bid to claw back money from Higgins’ $2.4m compensation trust. Meanwhile, Higgins’ husband faces his own six-figure bill after Reynolds won a separate defamation case over his tweets: The Australian

Tyler Robinson, 22, has been charged with aggravated murder over the assassination of US conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, with prosecutors confirming they’ll seek the death penalty. Court docs say Robinson’s parents urged him to surrender after recognising him in surveillance footage. DNA tied him to the rifle, and texts reveal his plans: Capital Brief

Santos: has seen its $36.4bn takeover collapse after ADNOC’s XRG arm pulled its bid just two days before deadline, citing valuation issues uncovered in due diligence. That’s 3 for 3 - the third suitor to quit after Harbour Energy and Woodside, leaving Santos under fresh pressure from restless investors: AFR

Mitsubishi: has quietly snapped up a 15% block in FleetPartners via Macquarie, paying a 12% premium to lift its stake to just under 20% without triggering a bid. The move puts the Japanese giant deeper into Aussie fleet management, where it already runs NextFleet, but it insists no “immediate” takeover is planned: AFR

Bendigo Bank: is steering clear of HSBC’s Australian arm, leaving offshore suitors as likely contenders. Citi is running the sale, with NAB tipped as the only serious local bidder. Japanese and Chinese banks are circling, as HSBC continues to retreat from non-core markets: The Australian

BHP will slash 750 jobs, mothball its Saraji South mine and may close a Qld training academy, blaming weak coal prices and steep state royalties. The miner says its Qld coal arm paid 8x more in taxes and royalties than profits last year. The Crisafulli gov has hit back, branding the move as “un-Australian”: AFR

Deutsche Bank has lifted its 2026 gold forecast to $4,000/oz, citing surging central bank buying, a weaker US dollar and jitters over Fed independence under Trump. Gold’s already up 41% YTD, smashing $3,700 for the first time. China’s buying spree is leading the charge, while Goldman reckons bullion could even hit $5k if Treasury flows shift: Mining.com

ABA boss Simon Birmingham has warned the RBA’s plan to slash interchange fees and ban surcharging could weaken fraud and scam protections, with Aussies already losing $2bn a year. Banks argue the cuts would force them to trim interest-free days and curb $9bn in annual tech spend. All while BNPL, Apple Pay and Amex escape the clampdown: AFR

Macquarie CEO Shemara Wikramanayake will host PM Anthony Albanese and ambassador Kevin Rudd at a New York reception next week, drawing US-Australia business heavyweights together. On the tour, Albo will also promote Australia’s under-16 social media ban at the UN, a move likely to irritate Big Tech and the Trump White House: AFR

Exec pay is only getting bigger. Sigma CEO Vikesh Ramsunder pocketed $5.7m in FY25, but that’s tiny next to the Chemist Warehouse billionaires he answers to. Ramsunder also offloaded 11.7m shares, still holding $9m worth. Sigma, hit with a 47.5% pay strike last year, says retention bonuses were one-offs: AFR

The ACCC’s new merger regime now bites into property deals. Big leases or acquisitions must be pre-cleared, with a 30-day phase 1 and up to 90-day phase 2 review. Fees can hit $1.6m, plus FIRB charges. Carve-outs cover housing land and renewals, but up to 9000 leases may need scrutiny: AFR

Apple’s iPhone 17 Air is its thinnest yet at 5.6mm, but a titanium frame and Ceramic Shield 2 glass make it near indestructible, shrugging off 60kg bend tests. Battery life hits up to 27 hours video playback. For those in the market, be prepared to fork out $1799: The Australian

Firmus Technologies has cracked a $1.9bn valuation after raising $330m led by Nvidia, with Ellerston Capital also joining in. The Aussie-founded AI infra startup will build a 45MW “AI factory” in Tasmania, touting 60% lower energy use. A 2026 ASX float is planned, putting Firmus alongside Canva, Rokt and Airwallex in Australia’s unicorn club: Smart Company