Day 10 of the Rush trial ... Justice Wigney ponders an application to admit a new defence witness and whether her identity and evidence should continue to be subject to a suppression order ... New evidence "goes to the heart of the case" ... If admitted the trial would have to be delayed till next April ... Claim that this poses "egregious prejudice" to Rush ... "Quick to publish, slow to defend" ... Stephen Murray reports ... more
Year: 2018
A window on four months worth of defamation judgments
Findings on defamation judgments May-August 2018 ... 91 judgments, 40 percent litigants in person, 70 percent concerned online publications ... Abuse of process ... Judge Judith Gibson's paper accompanying the Law Council of Australia seminars on defamation law reform ... more
Geoffrey Rush v Nationwide News
Actor confirms Eryn Jean Norvill's evidence about Geoffrey Rush's sexual harassment ... Evidence as to Rush's commercial prospects following the publication of allegations in The Daily Telegraph ... Day 9 of the trial ... Stephen Murray reports ... more
Geoffrey Rush v Nationwide News
Day 8 of the Rush trial ... Second day of Eryn Jean Norvill's evidence ... Robyn Nevin and others complicit in enabling Rush's sexual harassment ... Norvill rejects assertion that she was lying ... Email to STC management: "knowing Geoffrey's reputation ..." ... Non-publication order challenged by Fairfax and Nine ... Stephen Murray reports ... more
Geoffrey Rush v Nationwide News
Eryn Jean Norvill gives strong and compelling evidence ... Geoffrey Rush's contact with her breast was deliberate ... She believed Rush to be "unsafe" ... Robyn Nevin part of a "cultural problem" ... Neil Armfield would "always defend Geoffrey" ... Power imbalance ... Stephen Murray reports on day seven of the defamation trial ... more
The key to encryption
The government's proposed law to unscramble encrypted communications ... Threats to citizens and journalists in particular ... Confidential sources placed at greater risk of exposure ... A new invasion of privacy amid an abundance of government intrusions ... Cybersecurity threatened ... Criticism from UN privacy rapporteur ... Nick Bonyhady reports ... more
Geoffrey Rush v Nationwide News
Further denials ... Veteran actors continue to rally around Geoffrey Rush ... Denials that he behaved inappropriately towards Eryn Jean Norvill ... Robyn Nevin's supportive text to the complainant: "Oh dear girl. Are you ok?" ... Judy Davis hears industry gossip that Rush's "career is finished" ... Stephen Murray reports ... more
Capilano Honey Ltd v Dowling (No 2)
Injurious falsehood and defamation ... Blogger's attack on Capilano Honey ... Interim takedown and suppression orders, injunctive relief ... Failure to obey orders ... Orders revoked ... Unsuccessful appeal against revocation ... "Sex tape" ... Free speech ... Nick Bonyhady reports ... more
Geoffrey Rush v Nationwide News
Day four of Geoffrey Rush's defamation trial ... Witnesses for the applicant ... Friend and director Neil Armfield supports Rush's version of events ... No inappropriate behaviour in King Lear ... Actor Helen Buday sings "Truly Scrumptious" for the court ... John Gaden was "Yummy" for Patrick White ... Stephen Murray reports ... more
Geoffrey Rush v Nationwide News
Day three of Geoffrey Rush's defamation trial ... Affecting evidence from the actor's wife on the effect of the Telegraph's articles on her husband ... Rush continues his denials, saying he did not make suggestive gestures to the complainant Eryn Jean Norvill or to the stage manager Georgia Gilbert ... Neil Armfield up next ... Stephen Murray reports ... more
Geoffrey Rush v Nationwide News
Day two of Geoffrey Rush defamation trial ... Prior to the Telegraph allegations Rush made his own inquiries about an alleged complaint against him ... Industry body dealing with a "confidential matter" in which Rush claimed to have been "baited" ... Cordelia death scene is a theatrical Everest ... Rush's "flip" text to Eryn Jean Norvill with emoji ... Stephen Murray reports ... more
Geoffrey Rush v Nationwide News
Geoffrey Rush takes centre stage at the Federal Court as his case is laid out on day one of his defamation trial ... Sydney Theatre Company accused of "ineptitude" in the handling of a complaint about Rush's behaviour ... Actor traumatised by articles in The Daily Telegraph ... Blood ran cold ... Turned to jelly ... Financial loss ... Claim of malice ... Stephen Murray reports ... more