Federal Court ... Christian Porter fails in bid to have witness notes produced in appeal ... Defence filed in 60 Minutes' Victorian Liberals branch stacking action ... Google ordered to provide preliminary discovery over reviews ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more
Year: 2021
Ben Roberts-Smith v Fairfax Media Publications; The Age Company; Federal Capital Press
Federal Court ... Former colleague of Ben Roberts-Smith proposes to give evidence ... Evidence relates to Darwan mission in 2012 where Roberts-Smith is alleged to have kicked detainee off a cliff ... Respondents deny side-deal over confining evidence to Darwan mission ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more
Turtur AO v Connor
Cycling figure Mike Turtur AO sued over Facebook posts claiming he did not come up with concept for Tour Down Under event … Triviality defence rejected … Damages for hurt, distress, vindication … Delay in commencing proceedings take into account … more
F v Crime and Corruption Commission
Queensland's Court of Appeal ... Journalist appeals directions from Corruption and Crime Commission to reveal source of information ... Claim for public interest immunity, implied freedom of political communication ... Media union response ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more
Hamish Thomson
Guardian Australia in-house lawyer Hamish Thomson talks to the Gazette ... Long career in London ... Where's an Australian equivalent to Article 10? ... Traps for journalists ... The call for clarity ... Online reader comments post-Voller ... more
Around the courts
Federal Court ... Mining magnate and WA Premier in dispute over contextual imputation particulars ... Seven Network loses bid over charity's costs ... Melbourne surgeon obtains discovery over Google review ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more
Lisa Davies
Sydney Morning Herald editor Lisa Davies resigns ... Here she answers the Gazette's questions about changes at the paper during her time at the helm ... The future of print ... Big defamation cases ... The challenge of big tech ... And daily life in the editor's chair ... more
Whistling quietly
27 drafts later … New amended Public Interest Disclosure Bill unveiled in NSW … Procedural reforms … Recommended standard for external disclosure to the media diluted by the government … Ombudsman critical of “significant hurdle” … Maxim Shanahan reports … more
Judges v The Internet
The High Court's failure to grasp the changing pace of online communications ... Court rulings wedded to outdated interpretation of "publication" ... Voller ... Defteros and Gutnick ... Threat to the utility of the search engine ... Tech platforms remain in their own orbit ... Commentary from Richard Ackland ... more
John Barilaro v Jordan Shanks-Markovina
Federal Court … Former NSW Deputy Premier settles with YouTube comedian … Proceedings against Google LLC remain on foot … Dispute over interrogatories … Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports … more
Around the courts
Federal Court ... Costs ruling in cosmetic surgeon's failed bid to restrain ABC over 4 Corners' story ... Costs ruling in broadcasters' action over Melbourne news chopper ban ... Roberts-Smith trial not to proceed unless more certainty over timetable ... Leave to serve on tech giants outside of jurisdiction denied ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more
Matthew Lewis
Sydney barrister Matthew Lewis takes our questions as he wings to England and Wales ... Authentic rarebit beckons ... Working from Doughty St ... The virtual world ... Reservations about the new public interest defence ... Time will tell ... more