Australian senators seek class action bill changes

In Australia, a Senate committee has signed off on the Morrison government’s controversial litigation funding reforms but have asked for changes to the bill before it is passed by the parliament. The senators recommendation is that greater judicial discretion be written into the bill to weaken its centrepiece policy of limiting costs claimed by lawyers and litigation funders. The bill came out of concerns that third-party litigation funders were claiming a disproportionate share of successful actions relative to their costs and risks.