VW has been given a £66m (A$125m) fine by Australia's consumer watchdog to settle lawsuits resulting from the 2015 ‘Dieselgate’ scandal.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) sought the ruling, and VW received the highest penalty order ever made by the Federal Court for misleading consumers on emission. The company also faced a separate fine for approving car loans to people without checking their financial circumstances.

Volkswagen admitted that, when it sought approval to supply and import more than 57,000 vehicles into Australia between 2011 and 2015, it did not disclose to the Australian Government the existence of ‘two mode’ software that could cheat tests.

“Volkswagen’s conduct was blatant and deliberate,” ACCC chair Rod Sims said. “Volkswagen’s conduct undermined the integrity and functioning of Australia’s vehicle import regulations which are designed to protect consumers.”

The fine increases pressure on the carmaker to acknowledge claims in the UK, claims that it has so far denied.

VW has estimated that around 11 million cars worldwide were installed with software and so far, it has paid out more than $33bn in a combination of fines, settlements, modifications to cars and associated costs.

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