Category: Dossier

The High Court has heard three defamation matters in the past month, with varying degrees of interest. A damages appeal was hosed out … The new Chief Justice Robert French floated a simple test for “defamatory” in the context of submissions about “business defamation” ... Justice William Gummow wanted to know the meaning of the word “journalist” ... more

Thalidomide scientist Dr William McBride’s defamation action to be heard after 19 years … Putting on the writs in Moree and Canberra … Settlements for alleged bank robber and leading Tasmanian silk … Three Triple M appeals $350,000 damages payout to Olympic cyclist Mark French … Security for costs the order of the day … Nationwide News seeks special leave over doubling of “supporter of terrorism” damages … Justice Virginia Bell has the last word on the joys of section 7A ... more

The West Australian appeals order to hand over audiotapes revealing the source of an Alan Bond story … Federal government proposes three key amendments to strengthen journalists’ shield protection laws … Former ad man Geoffrey Cousins settles with Fairfax over “devious hypocrite” allegations … Former Howard government adviser loses defamation action against “paranoid” and “delusional” defendant … Convicted killer Bruce Burrell fails to suppress evidence already in the public domain ... more

Alan Bond wins access to audiotapes of conversations between a West Australian reporter and his “confidential source” ... Suppression order stays on “prominent sportsman” being sued for alleged sexual assault … Abe Saffron’s “business associate” sues The Age for calling him a mass murderer … ACCC granted special leave in “media safe harbour” case against Channel Seven … Justice Ian Harrison on the right to privacy ... more

Criminal defence barrister Tania Evers commences defamation proceedings against The Daily Telegraph ... So do George Piggins, Sarkis Nassif, Michael Blomfield, Michael Towke and Russh magazine publisher Dr Ian Davies … Self-proclaimed prophet Jeremy Griffith lodges an appeal … Footy Show executive producer sues 2GB and Ray Hadley for saying he encourages reporters to ridicule disabled people ... more

Settlements roll in for Lewincamp … Jeremy Griffith considering an appeal … Definite appeal in dishonoured cheque defamation judgment for Westpac … The Australian seeks special leave over doubling of damages to “supporter of terrorism” ... Plenty of fresh action for The Sydney Morning Herald’s new legal team … Judge Gibson’s $50,000 “backyarder” ... Ian Thorpe presses on despite publisher’s no-show ... more

Who gets what in the legal services shake-up … Johnson Winter & Slattery set to say au revoir to some of its favourite clients ... more

Where to now for Fairfax’s pre-publication work … 2UE challenges “business defamation” in the High Court … “Dirty, stinking, dobbing” Olympic cyclist’s trial set to start … Lange the focus of appeal in Lewincamp … More defamation action in Tasmania … Trish Draper’s ex loses fourth interlocutory appeal … two new suits filed against old favourite A Current Affair ... more

Polly Peck alive and well and thriving in the West … Trouble in Tassie as leading silk sues The Mercury ... The Bulletin to appeal Justice Besanko’s lacerating judgment in Lewincamp ... War-zone entertainer Tania Zaetta sues The Telegraph over “slut” allegations ... Alan Jones settles with Nurses’ Association head Brett Holmes … Queensland defamation action struck out after 18 years … Jeremy Griffith’s organisation presses on against Fairfax ... more

Dick Pratt’s former mistress Shari-Lea Hitchcock takes the money … Seven settles two nursing home actions against Today Tonight ... The Rudd government announces a new whistleblower inquiry … Where to now for Frank Lewincamp’s other defamation actions … Special leave denied in two NSW media cases ... more

NSW Greens MP Ian Cohen mired in legal battles with defamation suits, assault charges and an appeal granted to Byron Bay developer Jerry Lee Bennette … Tim Johnston finally runs out of defamation Firepower … Alan Bond gets to inspect The West Australian’s computer … Today Tonight defamed former lawyers for convicted paedophile magistrate Peter Liddy … damages appeals from $12,000 to $360,000 ... more

Elusive Firepower boss Tim Johnston pursues his defamation action against Fairfax … WA Court of Appeal finds discovery of emails between a journalist and his source went too far … Former ALP branch president and friend of Milton Orkopoulos sues Fairfax over child sex articles … WA Supreme Court says magistrate was wrong to refuse media access to police videotapes … Former vice-chancellor of Macquarie University wins a round against The Sydney Morning Herald ... more