Brien v Mrad [2020] NSWCA 259

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Brien v Mrad [2020] NSWCA 259 Hearing dates: 5 August 2020 Date of orders: 21 October 2020 Decision date: 21 October 2020 Before: Macfarlan JA at [1]; Payne JA at [2]; McCallum JA at [47] Decision: (1) Leave to appeal granted on ground 1 of the draft notice of appeal; (2) Leave to appeal refused on ground 2 of the draft notice of appeal; (3) Within 7 days the appellant to file with the Registry a notice of appeal limited to ground 1 of the draft notice of appeal; (4) Appeal allowed on ground 1; (5) Set aside the orders made by Gibson DCJ on 19 December 2019 and in lieu thereof make the following orders: (a) Judgment entered for Mr Brien in the amount of $15,000; (b) Mr Mrad to pay Mr Brien's costs; (6) Mr Mrad to pay Mr Brien's costs of the appeal. Catchwords: DEFAMATION – defamatory matter – where publication pleaded differs from publication proved – test to be applied – whether language of 'fatal variance' helpful DEFAMATION – remedies – aggravated damages – court not in position to assess aggravated damages – leave refused Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 60 Defamation Act 1974 (NSW), s 9 Defamation Act 2005 (NSW), ss 25, 26, 40 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) r 14.30(3) Cases Cited: Besser v Kermode (2011) 81 NSWLR 157; [2011] NSWCA 174 Coles Supermarkets Australia Ltd v Clarke [2013] NSWCA 272 Dare v Pulham (1982) 148 CLR 658; [1982] HCA 70 Fairfax Media Publications v Zeccola (2015) 91 NSWLR 341; [2015] NSWCA 329 Fox v Percy (2003) 214 CLR 118; [2003] HCA 22 John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd v Hitchcock (2007) 70 NSWLR 484; [2007] NSWCA 364 Oscar Kazal v Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd [2017] NSWSC 44 Tournier v National Provincial and Union Bank of England [1924] 1 KB 461 Zoef v Nationwide News Pty Ltd (No 2) [2017] NSWCA 2 Texts Cited: Gatley on Libel and Slander (12th ed, 2013, Sweet & Maxwell) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Martin Brien (applicant) Hussein Mrad (aka Sam Mrad) (respondent) Representation: Counsel: A T S Dawson SC with T B Senior (applicant) S Chrysanthou with N G Olson (respondent)