Judge Judith Gibson finds NRMA board member Richard Talbot “a witness of truth” and awards him damages of $200,000 arising from a defamatory Piers Akerman piece containing “serious and substantial inaccuracies” … more
Year: 2006
Edward Obeid v John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd
Justice Clifton Hoeben awards former NSW minister Eddie Obeid damages of $150,000 over an award-winning Sydney Morning Herald story that alleged he was corrupt. Fairfax’s defence of qualified privilege failed on all counts … more
Paul Gibson v Nationwide News Pty Ltd
Supreme Court 7A jury finds that a series of articles and a cartoon in The Daily Telegraph did not say that Labor MP Paul Gibson was “corrupt and a rorter” ... more
Michael Harvey & Gerard McManus v County Court of Victoria & Ors
Herald Sun journalists lose appeal against County Court orders to attend and give evidence in the prosecution of a public servant who already has been convicted for disclosing government information ... more
Jamie Fawcett v John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd & Annette Sharp
Section 7A. Supreme Court jury finds that paparazzo Jamie Fawcett was defamed by a Sun-Herald gossip piece that said he “wreaked havoc” on Nicole Kidman’s private life. ... more
Edward Obeid v John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd
Eddie Obeid’s defamation trial concluded with some scary remarks from Justice Cliff Hoeben over whether or not Fairfax’s publication was reasonable in the circumstances. Bob Carr’s diaries emerge ... more
High Court upholds conclusive certificates in FOI case
Dollar Pete’s conclusive “public interest”certificates sink FOI… New defamation book launched in Sydney by Michael Kirby, Sydney media law conference… Hore-Lacy action in Melbourne delayed… Defamation threat against a pensioner costs law firm millions ... more
Australian Broadcasting Corporation v Edward Obeid
NSW Court of Appeal finds that District Court judge Judith Gibson correctly refused to strike in “exculpatory” material from a Sally Loane radio program broadcast in 2002. It was reasonably open to Obeid to plead what he did ... more
John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd v Zunter
Fairfax appeal over $100,000 awarded to a man who carried out an illegal backburn during a bushfire goes up in flames. Justice Simpson was right to reject the defences of qualified privilege and contextual truth ... more
Edward Obeid v John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd
Sydney Morning Herald journalists Anne Davies and Kate McClymont plus solicitor Richard Coleman maintain they acted fairly and reasonably in publishing an article that accused former NSW minister Eddie Obeid of corruption. Sources talk of fishing jaunts, Chinese banquets and boozy trips to Europe. The trial continues. ... more
Edward Obeid v John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd
Justice Hoeben refused to grant preliminary protection to confidential sources. Sydney Morning Herald journalist Anne Davies testifies about the 2002 article that alleged former NSW minister Eddie Obeid was corrupt. ... more
Edward Obeid v John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd
The second leg of Eddie Obeid’s defamation action against The Sydney Morning Herald over its Walkley Award winning Oasis investigation got underway with some stiff testimony from former NSW Premier Bob Carr ... more