Settlements    October 18, 2021

Andrew Laming v Louise Milligan

Commonwealth Auditor-General says no documented advice to support ABC paying Louise Milligan’s damages and costs in settlement with Andrew Laming … Settlement over tweets sent by Milligan over photograph … Eric Abetz sought Audit Office investigation … ABC MD sought General Counsel’s advice … Business decision to meet costs … Weaknesses in social media policy … Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports … more

 

Settlements    August 11, 2021

Andrew Laming v Louise Milligan

Federal Court … ABC journalist Louise Milligan settle with Federal MP Andrew Laming … $79,000 plus costs … Action commenced over tweets alleging upskirting … Dispute over costs and admissions … Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports … more

 

Settlements    May 31, 2021

Christian Porter v Australian Broadcasting Corporation & Anor

Christian Porter ends his defamation battle with ABC and Louise Milligan … No damages payable, with ABC picking up only costs of mediation … Editor’s Note added to original story … ABC stands by importance of story … Porter claims ABC and Milligan could not back up allegations … Casts the story as “sensationalist” and “one-sided” … ABC returns fire … Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports … more

 

Settlements    April 13, 2021

Melissa Parke v Colin Rubenstein

Federal Court … Former MP Melissa Parke reaches settlement with Jewish commentator and lobbyist Colin Rubenstein … Settlement reached on eve of trial … Parke sued over comments in wake of controversial speech … Imputations pleaded included that Parke was a compulsive slanderer, a conspiracy theorist, a liar and a fanatic … Rubenstein issues clarification … Expresses regret that comments caused distress … Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports … more

 

Settlements    April 12, 2021

John Hewson v TCN Channel Nine & Ors

Federal Court … Former Liberal Leader John Hewson and Nine reach settlement … Trial scheduled to start … A Current Affair story on disgruntled insurance claimant … Claim rejected because flood caused damage, not storm … Hewson pleaded imputations he failed to direct claim be paid out, acted negligently and incompetently … Aggravated damages sought … Justice Wigney congratulates the parties … Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports … more

 

Settlements    April 11, 2021

Settlements aplenty

Federal Court … Settlements … Conservative Indigenous activist Jacinta Nampipinja Price secures apology from ABC … Follows apology from Coffs Harbour Land Council … Former Leighton’s CFO Peter Gregg settles with Fairfax … Barrister Evatt Tamine obtains apology from Fairfax … Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports … more

 

Settlements    October 12, 2020

Hafertepen v Network Ten Pty Ltd

Network Ten ordered to place clarification in more prominent place … Acted in bad faith on settlement agreement … Specific performance of agreement … Buried on Terms of Use page … Indemnity costs awarded over unreasonable conduct … Denied legible copies of letters sent to other media organisations … Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports … more

 

Settlements    September 20, 2020

Dylan Hafertepen v Network Ten

Network Ten denies it acted in bad faith over clarification … Seattle man who sued over The Project story implicating him in partner’s death … Private letter, letters to media organisations, clarification part of settlement … Clarification published on Terms of Use page … Media letters sent in low-res photo … Media letters access no abuse of process … Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports … more

 

Settlements    March 3, 2020

Adam Lang v Michael Smith

Former radio boss settles with rabid blogger Michael Smith … $100,000 plus costs … Online attacks over Lang’s management of Macquarie Media … “Wanton incompetence and pathological ineptitude” … “Bumbling inept buffoon” … Smith unsuccessfully requested that consent orders not be made public … Stephen Murray reports … more

 


Settlements    January 6, 2020

John Jarratt v Nationwide News

Settlement of actor’s claim against the Sunday Telegraph … Imputation that he “got away with rape” in reports following acquittal on an historic sexual assault charge … Implication that applicant was guilty … Apology … Stephen Murray report … more

 

Settlements    September 23, 2019

Victor Dominello v Harbour Radio Pty Ltd trading as 2GB (No. 2)

NSW government minister settles with 2GB over false corruption claim … Disagreement over terms of the offer of amends … Defendant wanted to explore the availability of a common law public figure defence … Further offer of amends … Lost motion to adopt contextual imputations pleaded by the defendant … Abuse of process … Reasonable expenses … Costs … Finalisation of the proceedings … Stephen Murray reports … more