Self-represented defendant facing contempt charges over defamatory website tells the NSW Supreme Court she is ready to go to jail “because I’m telling the truth” ... The plaintiff says he’s content with an injunction, rather than damages ... more
Year: 2013
The O’Brien Files
Something to crow about … Media lawyer Mark O’Brien files two further proceedings against his old client Fairfax Media … Meanwhile, an interesting missive arrives in the Gazette’s inbox … Former Leighton’s boss Wal King decides to sue over bribery and corruption stories ... more
IP news here, and there
Fallout from leaked draft of intellectual property rights chapter … Imminent release of ALRC report on Copyright and the Digital Economy ... US Anti-patent trolling bill update ... more
UK parliament passes website defence regulations
Regulations governing the operation of the new defence for website operators featuring user-generated content which is set out in section 5 of the Defamation Act 2013 have been approved by both Houses of Parliament … more
Human rights, privacy and surreptitious photography
European Court of Human Rights rules on privacy and surreptitious photography … James Michael, writing for Inforrm, looks at what it means for paparazzi and others ... more
Kim Ahmed v Harbour Radio Pty Ltd & Ray Hadley
Radio 2GB’s Ray Hadley tells the NSW Supreme Court he’s a man of “very strong views”, particularly in relation to child sex abuse … This accounts for his calling the wife of a convicted offender “vile”, “silly” and “a grub” ... more
Australia: a media law backwater?
Australia risks being left behind as a media law backwater while other nations pursue defamation law reforms designed to meet the realities of digital publishing and social media, argues Michael Cameron ... more
Rosalie Kunoth-Monks v Rebecca Healy & Anor
Northern Territory judge finds the ABC and 2012 Young Australian of the Year finalist behaved unreasonably when they published a radio broadcast accusing Aboriginal activist Rosalie Kunoth-Monks of branding her own community racist … more
How to avoid defamation
Beware the defamation minefield … New Zealand barrister Steven Price has a 12-point checklist that’s especially useful for the unwary ... more
Born Brands Pty Ltd & Ors v Nine Network Australia Pty Ltd & Ors
Channel Nine defeats defamation and injurious falsehood claims brought over a news item which warned consumers about the dangers of baby “sleep positioners” ... Justice Christine Adamson determines the plaintiffs’ case fails the first threshold – meaning – and the rest ... more
IP news here, and there
IP Australia joins the Global Patent Prosecution Highway pilot program … Creationistas launch social media campaign for digital natives … US Bill to stop patent trolling ... more
The PCC, the judge and the “gay brothel”: another bizarre decision
A recent (UK) Press Complaints Commission ruling has found that a story which referred to a salacious News of the World “sting” 17 years ago did not breach privacy or discrimination clauses in the Editor’s Code … The editorial team at Inforrm beg to differ … more