Publisher of the Gazette Richard Ackland participated in a recent discussion on WikiLeaks hosted by The Sydney Institute … The unusual collaboration between a whistleblower website and the mainstream media … Classified material and the duty to publish ... more
Year: 2011
Helen Liu v The Age Company, Richard Baker, Phillip Dorling and Nick McKenzie
Excitements aplenty in Helen Liu’s battle with The Age over sources … Injunctions are granted, contempt proceedings initiated and one source is named – courtesy of the elusive Mr Junn and Liu’s own barrister ... more
“Outing” minister in the public interest – ACMA
The Australian Communications and Media Authority makes an extraordinary finding. Showing former NSW Minister David Campbell leaving a gay sauna was in the public interest – because he resigned over it ... more
In Liu of knowing
Helen Liu launches proceedings against “John Doe” & Friends … Robbie Waterhouse hedges his bets in two new actions … Underbelly writers settle with “Constable Wendy” ... Former Clayton Utz solicitor sues 216 partners … Humanist Society member sues Society over racist allegations … Derick Sands refused special leave … Keddies settles with “unfriendly” and “immoral” interpreters … NRL Cougar sharpens her claws again … Action against 2GB over caller comments … Australia’s richest medical entrepreneur sues Fairfax … Head of Prime Carbon sues The Canberra Times ... more
Helen Liu v The Age Company, Richard Baker, Phillip Dorling and Nick McKenzie
Aggressive cross-examination of Age journalist results in five “scandalous” paragraphs of his affidavit being admitted. They allege an affair between the sister of Chinese businesswoman Helen Lui and former Defence Minster Joel Fitzgibbon, among other things ... more
Helen Liu v The Age Company, Richard Baker, Phillip Dorling and Nick McKenzie
The hearing into whether The Age should be compelled to reveal the source or sources of a story alleging businesswoman Helen Liu bribed former Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon takes another unexpected turn midway through journalist Richard Baker’s cross-examination ... more
Helen Liu v The Age Company, Richard Baker, Phillip Dorling and Nick McKenzie
Open justice gets short shrift as Justice Lucy McCallum rejects “scandalous” material germane to the defence. Meanwhile Chinese businesswoman Helen Liu remains adamant that documents relied on by The Age were fabricated ... more
Helen Liu v The Age Company, Richard Baker, Phillip Dorling and Nick McKenzie
Lawyers for the businesswoman who allegedly bribed former Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon get more than they asked for. The Age attempts to retrieve documents “inadvertently disclosed” mid-way through Helen Liu’s bid to find out who leaked the information in the first place ... more
Chief Maximus Onu Osuamadi v Bartholomew Okoroafor
NSW District Court Judge Leonard Levy brings down his first defamation damages decision, which includes special damages – for the time the plaintiff had to spend in court. The Gazette looks at this, and other interesting aspects of the judgment … more
In search of fair and accurate twittering
When the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales is moved to announce guidelines for twittering in court, you know things are getting serious. Sydney media law academic Dr David Rolph intvestigates the issues ... more
Ashok Shandil v Sunil Sharma
Bitter rivalry at school of Hindi Language Studies results in $80,000 damages to former principal. NSW District Court Judge Judith Gibson finds that “every word that the defendant spoke was false” … more
An honest to good defence
The defence of fair comment gets a new name and a chance to fly – at least in Britain. Stephen Collins reports on the Supreme Court judgment that had everyone talking late last year ... more