Canberra proprty developer’s defamation case is dismissed after Justice Margaret Stone finds a letter to the ACT Minister for Planning was merely part of a “robust political exchange” and did not convey any of the imputations pleaded ... more
Category: Imputations
Robin Bass v TCN Channel Nine Pty Ltd
Acting Justice Hunt interrogates the meaning of the word “shonky” before dismissing shonky building subcontractor, Robin Bass’ second appeal. The marathon case against Nine commenced 16 years ago ... more
Bingle v Emap Australia Pty Ltd
Federal Court decides that Sutherland Shire “celebrity” and sometime ice skater, Laura Bingle, can proceed with her defamation action against Zoo Weekly. An imputation that she agreed to “pose topless” for a “smutty” men’s magazine was clearly defamatory, said Justice Edmonds ... more
Gacic v John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd
Coco Roco restaurateurs win appeal over lacerating review by Sydney Morning Herald food critic Matthew Evans. Justice Beazley says the jury’s verdict was unreasonable and the trial judge’s directions were inadequate ... more
Ramrakha v Chaudhry
NSW Court of Appeal upholds jury verdict in former Fijian politicians’ defamation stoush. There is a distinction between breach of confidence, disloyalty and “gross disloyalty” ... more
Channel Seven Adelaide Pty Ltd v “S”
The ex-boyfriend of Liberal pollie Trish Draper has had a preliminary victory in defamation proceedings against Channel Seven and the ABC. There’s more to being a “murder suspect” than meets the eye ... more
Favell v Queensland Newspapers Pty Ltd
Brisbane barrister has his day in the High Court and gets three imputations out of the 40 he originally pleaded sent for rehearing. Justice Kirby says judges should not hide behind the ordinary reasonable reader. The fiction should be dropped ... more
Australian Broadcasting Corporation v Hodgkinson
Elaborate discussion in the NSW Court of Appeal over whether a contextual imporation using the phrahse “fit and proper” could be pleaded. Defamation action against the ABC over allegations of misconduct against a university researcher made by radio presenter Norman Swan ... more
Jerry Bennette v Ian Cohen
Byron Bay property developer says defamation jury was perverse. It found that he did “illegal work which severely damaged the environment”, but that this was not defamatory. Court of Appeal reserved ... more
Nationwide News Pty Ltd v Richard Sleeman
The Australian wants the NSW Court of Appeal to consider “afresh” all the factual issues in the Sleeman case. Last October Justice Levine awarded damages of $400,000 to freelance sports writer Richard Sleeman. The newspaper failed to defend Amanda Meade’s snippet in its Media section ... more
Gardiner v Horton Park Golf Club Maroochydore Inc and Hourigan
Solicitor plaintiff’s numerous imputations of extortion, bribery, unfitness and greed found not to arise from golf club newsletter and local newspaper ... more
Ezzo v Grille
More particulars required about the defendant’s role in publication of material on the internet ... more