Callan v Chawk [2023] FCA 898

Federal Court of Australia

Callan v Chawk [2023] FCA 898 File number(s): NSD 785 of 2021

Judgment of: HALLEY J

Date of judgment: 3 August 2023

Catchwords: DEFAMATION – whether respondent, a former patient of the applicant, published a defamatory review of the applicant on an internet ratings website for medical practitioners – defence of honest opinion under s 31 of the Defamation Act 2005 (NSW) (Act) – defence of qualified privilege under s 30 of the Act – where respondent did not succeed in defences under s 30 and s 31 of the Act – where Review found to convey three of the four imputations advanced by applicant DAMAGES – assessment of damages – where applicant awarded damages for non-economic loss – where applicant not entitled to aggravated damages

Legislation: Jurisdiction of Courts (Cross-Vesting) Act 1987 (Cth) s 9 Defamation Act 2005 (NSW) ss 4, 30, 31, 34, 35 Defamation Amendment Act 2020 (NSW) sch 4

Cases cited: Al Muderis v Duncan (No 3) [2017] NSWSC 726 Ali v Nationwide News Pty Ltd [2008] NSWCA 183 Bauer Media Pty Ltd & Anor v Wilson (No 2) [2018] VSCA 154; 56 VR 674 Bazzi v Dutton (2022) 289 FCR 1; [2022] FCAFC 84 Bickel v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd [1981] 2 NSWLR 474 Boyd v Automatic, Inc [2019] FCA 86 Bristow v Adams [2012] NSWCA 166 Burgundy v Royale Investments Pty Ltd v Westpac Banking Corporation (1987) 18 FCR 212 Carson v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd (1993) 178 CLR 44; [1993] HCA 31 Cassell & Co Ltd v Broome [1972] AC 1027 Channel Seven Adelaide Pty Ltd v Manock (2007) 232 CLR 245; [2007] HCA 60 Chau v Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd [2019] FCA 185 Colagrande v Kim [2022] FCA 409 Colagrande v Telstra Corporation Limited [2020] FCA 1595 Cripps v Vakras [2014] VSC 279 Crosby v Kelly (2012) 203 FCR 451; [2012] FCAFC 96 Dow Jones & Company Inc v Gutnick (2002) 210 CLR 575; [2002] HCA 56 Dutton v Bazzi [2021] FCA 1474 Hanson-Young v Leyonhjelm (No 4) [2019] FCA 1981 Harbour Radio Pty Ltd v Tingle [2001] NSWCA 194 Herron v HarperCollins Publishers Australia Pty Ltd (2022) 292 FCR 336; [2022] FCAFC 68 Jameel (Yousef) v Dow Jones & Co Inc [2005] QB 946 John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd v O'Shane [2005] NSWCA 164 John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd v Rivkin [2003] HCA 50 Kabbabe v Google LLC [2020] FCA 126 Lange v Australian Broadcasting Corporation (1997) 189 CLR 520; [1997] HCA 25 Lewis v Daily Telegraph Ltd [1964] AC 234 Lorbek v King [2022] VSC 218 Morgan v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd (No 2) (1991) 23 NSWLR 374 Nationwide News Pty Limited v Rush [2020] FCAFC 115 Nettle v Cruse [2021] FCA 935 Oliver v Nine Network Australia Pty Ltd [2019] FCA 583 Rana v Google Inc (2017) 254 FCR 1; [2017] FCAFC 156 Ratcliffe v Evans [1892] 2 QB 524 Roberts v Bass (2002) 212 CLR 1; [2002] HCA 57 Rogers v Nationwide News Pty Ltd (2003) 216 CLR 327; [2003] HCA 52 Rush v Nationwide News Pty Ltd (No 7) [2019] FCA 496 Rush v Nationwide News Pty Ltd [2018] FCA 357 Schiff v Nine Network Australia Pty Ltd (No 2) [2022] FCA 1120 Sims v Jooste (No 2) [2016] WASCA 83 State of New South Wales v IG Index plc (2007) 17 VR 87; [2007] VSCA 212 Stead v Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd [2021] FCA 15 Stephens v West Australian Newspapers Limited (1994) 182 CLR 211; [1994] HCA 45 Stocker v Stocker [2020] AC 593 Tavakoli v Imisides (No 4) [2019] NSWSC 717 Thunder Studios Inc (California) v Kazal (No 12) [2022] FCA 110 Triggell v Pheeney (1951) 82 CLR 497; [1951] HCA 23 Waterhouse v Broadcasting Station 2GB Pty Ltd (1985) 1 NSWLR 58 Webster v Brewer (No 3) [2020] FCA 1343