General and aggravated damages awarded to four Queensland quarry owners against Nine Network and commentator Nicholas Cater. A jury of four earlier found the owners had been defamed … more
Year: 2019
Defamation reform: Porter and Speakman
Press Club speech by Commonwealth attorney general ... Broad outline of the defamation reform priorities ... NSW attorney general releases his thoughts ... Some loose thinking around liability for digital platforms ... Two-stage reform process ... Other media reforms from Your Right to Know not canvassed ... Janek Drevikovsky reports ... more
Allan Kalus v Google LLC
Federal Court ... Plastic surgeon suing Google for critical reviews of his practice ... Unhappy patient ... Notice ... Delay in removing posts ... Digital platforms and mainstream media ... Attorney General wants a level playing field ... Stephen Murray reports ... more
Adam Lang v Michael Smith
Federal Court ... Former radio executive sues blogger over attacks on his competence as a manager and the way contract negotiations with Alan Jones were handled ... Radio rights for Cricket World Cup ... Respondent deemed to have been served ... Stephen Murray reports ... more
Young v Racing NSW (ABN 862 816 044 17) & Ors
District Court of NSW ... Horse trainer's case dismissed ... Claim that "persons unknown" may have read an ABC story online and consequently denied him access to the racetrack at Casino ... Publication ... Identification ... "Maze of incomprehensible pleadings" ... Abuse of process ... Using defamation proceedings as judicial review of racing club's decision ... Defects in pleadings ... Proportionality principles ... Stephen Murray reports ... more
Daniel Taylor v Nationwide News & Brenden Hills
Federal Court ... Nationwide News files defence in Daniel Taylor case ... Son of Kings Cross identity John Ibrahim ... Business dealings on behalf of his uncle, Michael Ibrahim ... Importation and distribution of illegal tobacco ... Applicant allegedly has knowledge of criminal activities ... Inference he is a criminal involved in organised crime ... Stephen Murray reports ... more
Omega Plumbing Pty Ltd v Harbour Radio Pty Ltd t/as 2GB and 2GB 873
NSW Supreme Court ... Interlocutory injunction to stop 2GB's and Ray Hadley's attacks on a plumbing company ... Injurious falsehood ... Malice ... Reckless indifference to the truth ... Free speech considerations have less weight in cases of injurious falsehood ... Stephen Murray reports ... more
Branch v Papyrus Australia Ltd
Amended statement of claim struck out with leave to replead ... Federal Court ... Defamation by omission ... Company did not mention former managing director in its annual report ... True innuendoes ... Extrinsic facts ... Shunned and avoided ... Difference between economic loss and aggravated damages ... Stephen Murray reports ... more
Murray v Raynor
Letterbox drama at Manly apartment building ... NSW Court of Appeal sets aside $120,000 damages awarded by the District Court ... Manifestly excessive ... No damage to respondent's reputation ... No occasion for aggravated damages ... Common law qualified privilege established ... Email to 16 residents ... No malice ... Parisa Hart reports ... more
Abdulrazaq v Hassan
WhatsApp group chat ... Mosque affairs ... Terrorism ... UK High Court ... Meanings ... Social media communications should be read "impressionistically" ... "On your bike" ... "See you in court" ... Janek Drevikovsky reports ... more
Poland v Hedley
Clandestine recording used by WA Today ... Lawful interest defence available under the Surveillance Devices Act ... Plan to dump toxic soil ... Private conversation in a restaurant ... Question as to authenticity of the exhibit ... Defence of qualified privilege ... Exemption under Act where publication is relevant to the defence of defendants' lawful interests ... Stephen Murray reports ... more
Joseph Nahas v TCN Channel Nine & Nine Network Australia
Dispute among brothers over the distribution of money from a property development business ... Report on Nine news ... Allegations of "family war" ... Applicant claims to be the "victim" not the "perpetrator" ... Meanings ... Imputations said to be embarrassing ... Fair report of court proceedings ... "Meaningful legal negotiations" ... Stephen Murray reports ... more