Queensland District Court ... Townsville couple awarded $280,000 over false paedophile claims ... Published on local Facebook crime prevention page by next door neighbour ... Post online for hour and a half ... Grapevine effect ... Aggravated damages awarded ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more
Category: Damages
Lyell Steven Allen t/as AVL Electrical Services v Godley
District Court of WA ... Electrician awarded $35,000 plus interest and indemnity costs over one star reviews ... Had not provided services to defendant ... Dispute with neighbour over Christmas lights ... Injunctions granted ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more
Armstrong v Assatryan & Ors
Victorian County Court ... Chocolate retailer awarded $125,000 against three defendants over online comments ... $70,000 awarded for claims of terrorism and poisonous chocolates ... Roots in territorial conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more
Duma v Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd (No 4)
Federal Court ... Damages for senior PNG minister reduced by $80,000 to take into account confidential settlement ... Slip rule applied ... "Regrettable oversight" ... Confidential settlement failed to provide vindication or reparation for harm to reputation ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more
Duma v Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd (No. 3)
Federal Court ... Senior PNG Minister awarded $545,000 in aggravated damages and interest ... Defamed by articles concerned with allocation of petroleum licence to an Australian interest and a PNG shell company ... Statutory qualified privilege defence rejected ... Mitigation of damages rejected ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more
Kumova v Davison (No 2)
Federal Court ... Mining investor awarded $275,000 in aggravated damages over "pump and dump" tweets ... Failed defences of justification and honest opinion ... Damages aggravated by concerted campaign on Twitter, conduct of litigation and failure to make full discovery ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more
Doak v Birks
NSW District Court ... Over $283,000 awarded over Facebook posts and comments ... Posts followed incident where child fell off bucking bull ... Liable for comments on Voller principles ... Plaintiff shunned and lost contracts ... Aggravated and special damages ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more
Wellington v Metcalf
Victorian County Court ... Shire councillor awarded $100,000 in aggravated damages from election rival ... Followed planning dispute over helicopter landing site ... Facebook posts during election campaign ... Failed defences of truth, statutory, common law and Lange qualified privilege ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more
Mulholland v Langdon
Victorian County Court ... Mother and son running for council election win $55,000 and $25,000 in damages ... Leaflet distributed ahead of election ... Jury found imputations conveyed ... Palmer v McGowan considered ... Distinguished in respect of local council candidates ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more
Tawhidi v Awad; Awad v Tawhidi
Victorian Supreme Court ... Adelaide-based Imam ordered to pay $20,000 to Melbourne lawyer and migration agent ... Bitter dispute arose after Imam's evidence to Senate committee ... Imam unsuccessful in claim against lawyer ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more
Rayney v Reynolds (No. 4)
Western Australia Supreme Court ... Former barrister Lloyd Rayney awarded $350,000 in damages and $88,400 in interest ... Found to have been defamed at forensics seminar ... Investigator said no need for cold case review as offender was identified ... Aggravated damages ... No discount for award in separate proceedings ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more
Burston v Hanson
Federal Court ... Former One Nation senator Brian Burston awarded $250,000 ... Found to have been defamed by former colleague Pauline Hanson in Today show interview ... Imputations of sexual abuse and assault without provocation found conveyed ... Burston found to have sexually harassed staff ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more