Lendlease Annual Report 2022

Financial Statements 155 27. Contingent Liabilities The Group has the following contingent liabilities, being liabilities in respect of which there is the potential for a cash outflow in excess of any provision where the likelihood of payment is not considered probable or cannot be measured reliably at this time: • There are a number of legal claims and exposures that arise from the normal course of the Group’s business. Such claims and exposures largely arise in respect of claims for defects (including under both contract and legislation), claims for breach of performance obligations or breach of warranty or claims under indemnities. In some claims: – There is uncertainty as to whether a legal obligation exists; – There is uncertainty as to whether a future cash outflow will arise in respect to these items; and/or – It is not possible to quantify the potential exposure with sufficient reliability. This particularly applies in larger more complex projects, in claims involving a number of parties or in claims made a number of years after completion of a project. Where it is probable there will be liabilities from such claims and the potential exposure can be quantified with sufficient reliability, a provision has been made for anticipated losses arising from such claims. • In certain circumstances, the Company guarantees the performance of particular Group entities in respect of their obligations. This includes bonding and bank guarantee facilities used primarily by the Construction business as well as performance guarantees for certain of the Company’s subsidiaries. • Securities Class Action On 18 April 2019, Lendlease Corporation and Lendlease Responsible Entity (Lendlease Group) were served with a shareholder class action proceeding filed in the Supreme Court of New South Wales on 18 April 2019 by David William Pallas and Julie Ann Pallas as trustees for the Pallas Family Superannuation Fund, represented by Maurice Blackburn. On 7 August 2019, Lendlease Corporation and Lendlease Responsible Entity (Lendlease Group) were served with a shareholder class action proceeding filed in the Supreme Court of New South Wales on 6 August 2019 by Martin John Fletcher, represented by Phi Finney McDonald. On 21 November 2019 the Supreme Court ordered consolidation of the two class actions into a single proceeding. The consolidated proceeding alleges that Lendlease was in breach of its continuous disclosure obligations under the Corporations Act 2001 and made representations about its Engineering and Services business that were misleading or deceptive or likely to mislead or deceive. It is currently not possible to determine the ultimate impact of these claims, if any, on Lendlease Group. Lendlease Group denies the allegations and intends to vigorously defend this proceeding.