Gould v Jordan (No 2) [2021] FCA 1289

Federal Court of Australia

Gould v Jordan (No 2) [2021] FCA 1289 File number: NSD 1735 of 2017

Judgment of: WHITE J

Date of judgment: 22 October 2021

Catchwords: DEFAMATION – hearing and determination of certain issues in advance of other issues – impugned statements found to convey the imputations pleaded by the applicant and found to be defamatory – whether the impugned statements were made on an occasion of qualified privilege as a reply to attacks – whether the impugned statements were a fair report of proceedings or a fair summary of a public document pursuant to ss 28 and 29 of the Uniform Defamation Acts – whether a contextual imputation was conveyed – defence of qualified privilege upheld – fair report and fair summary defences rejected – the pleaded contextual imputation found to have been conveyed.

Legislation: Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 (Cth) s 6(1) Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (Cth) ss 6-5(2), 995-1(1) Uniform Defamation Acts ss 25, 26, 28, 29 Civil Law (Wrongs) Act 2002 (ACT) ss 130, 135, 136, 138, 139 Defamation Act 1974 (NSW) s 14(1) Defamation Act 2005 (NSW) s 26

Cases cited: Abou-Lokmeh v Harbour Radio Pty Ltd [2016] NSWCA 228 Accommodation West Pty Ltd v Aikman [2017] WASC 157 Adams v Ward [1917] AC 309 Ange v Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd [2011] NSWSC 204 Bashford v Information Australia (Newsletters) Pty Ltd [2004] HCA 5; (2004) 218 CLR 366 Bowen-Rowlands v Argus Press Ltd, The Times, 10th Feb. 1926 Burchett v Kane (1980) 2 NSWLR 266 Bywater Investments Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation [2015] FCAFC 176; (2015) 236 FCR 520 Bywater Investments Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation [2016] HCA 45; (2016) 260 CLR 169 Chakravarti v Advertiser Newspapers Ltd [1998] HCA 37; (1998) 193 CLR 519 Cook v Alexander [1974] 1 QB 279 Cornwell v Channel Seven Sydney Pty Ltd [2016] NSWCA 255 Curistan v Times Newspapers Ltd [2008] EWCA Civ 432 Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd v Kermode [2011] NSWCA 174; (2011) 81 NSWLR 157 Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd v Zeccola [2015] NSWCA 329; (2015) 91 NSWLR 341 Feldman v Nationwide News Pty Ltd [2020] NSWSC 26 French v Herald and Weekly Times Pty Ltd (No 2) [2010] VSC 155; (2010) 27 VR 171 Gould v Jordan [2020] FCA 1191 Goyan v Motyka [2008] NSWCA 28 Hamilton v Clifford [2004] EWHC 1542 Hanson-Young v Leyonhjelm (No 4) [2019] FCA 1981 Harbour Radio Pty Ltd v Trad [2012] HCA 44; (2012) 247 CLR 31 Harding v Essey [2005] WASC 30; (2005) 30 WAR 1 Henry v British Broadcasting Corporation [2005] EWHC 2787 (QB) Herron v HarperCollins Publishers Australia Pty Ltd (No 3) [2020] FCA 1687 Hockey v Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd [2015] FCA 652; (2015) 237 FCR 33 Howlett v Holding [2003] EWHC 286 Hua Wang Bank Berhad v Commissioner of Taxation [2014] FCA 1392; (2014) 100 ATR 244 John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd v Hitchcock [2007] NSWCA 364; (2007) 70 NSWLR 484 Jordan, Commissioner of Taxation v Second Commissioner of Taxation [2019] FCA 1602 Kennett v Farmer [1988] VR 991 Loveday v Sun Newspapers Ltd [1938] HCA 28; (1938) 59 CLR 503 Macquarie Radio Network Pty Ltd v Arthur Dent [2007] NSWCA 261 Mirror Newspapers Ltd v Harrison [1982] HCA 50; (1982) 149 CLR 293 Mowlds v Fergusson (1940) 64 CLR 206 Nationwide News Pty Ltd v Moodie [2003] WASCA 273; (2003) 28 WAR 314 Nationwide News Pty Ltd v Rogers [2002] NSWCA 71 Penton v Calwell [1945] HCA 51; (1945) 70 CLR 219 Rogers v Nationwide News Pty Ltd [2003] HCA 52; (2003) 216 CLR 327 Rush v Nationwide News Pty Ltd (No 7) [2019] FCA 496 Thom v Associated Newspapers Ltd (1964) 64 SR (NSW) 376 Waterhouse v Broadcasting Station 2GB Pty Ltd (1985) 1 NSWLR 58 Watts v Times Newspaper [1997] QB 650