Feldman v Nationwide News Pty Ltd [2020] NSWCA 260

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Feldman v Nationwide News Pty Ltd [2020] NSWCA 260 Hearing dates: 14 September 2020 Date of orders: 20 October 2020 Decision date: 20 October 2020 Before: Bell P at [1]; Macfarlan JA at [209]; Payne JA at [210] Decision: Appeal dismissed with costs Catchwords: COMMISSIONS OF INQUIRY – Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse – Where transcript and video of appellant's evidence to Royal Commission admitted in aid of a defence to an action for defamation – Whether s 6DD of the Royal Commissions Act 1902 (Cth) prevents admission of such evidence – Whether s 6DD only precludes admission of evidence given in a Royal Commission in order to establish civil or criminal liability of person who gave such evidence COURTS AND JUDGES – Apprehended bias – Application for recusal – where primary judge said to have raised voice towards counsel – where judge apologised for raising voice – whether outcome of hearing could bear on allegation of apprehended bias DEFAMATION – Defamatory matter – Capacity to convey pleaded imputations – whether imputations carried to the ordinary reasonable reader DEFAMATION – Defences – Fair report – Matter of public interest – Royal Commissions – whether publications were substantially accurate DEFAMATION – Defences – Justification – Truth EVIDENCE – Documentary evidence – Royal Commissions – Where transcript and video of appellant's evidence to Royal Commission admitted in aid of a defence to an action for defamation – Whether s 6DD of the Royal Commissions Act 1902 (Cth) prevents admission of such evidence – Whether s 6DD only precludes admission of evidence given in a Royal Commission in order to establish civil or criminal liability of person who gave such evidence Legislation Cited: Act respecting inquiries concerning Public Matters 1868, 31 Vict, c 38 (Canada) Act to make further provision respecting inquiries concerning Public Matters 1889, 52 Vict, c 33 (Canada) Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth) ss 2(1), 15AA, 15AB Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) s 56 Commissions of Inquiry Act 1950 (Qld) s 14A Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW) s 6AA Defamation Act 2005 (NSW) ss 28(1)(b), 29(1) Evidence Act 1928 (Vic) s 30 Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) s 91 Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 1988 (NSW) s 37(3) Inquiries Act 1945 (NT) s 13 Inquiries Act 2014 (Vic) s 40 Lands Commission (Witnesses) Act 1905 (NSW) ss 1, 2, 3 Metropolitan Board (Commission) Act 1888, 51 Vict, c 6, s 4 Prime Minister and Cabinet Legislation Amendment (2017 Measures No. 1) Act 2018 (Cth) Public Matters 1889, 52 Vict, c 33 (Canada) Royal Commissioners Evidence Act 1901 (NSW) Royal Commissions Act 1902 (Cth) ss 6, 6A(2), 6DD, 7(2), 27(2)(b), 28, 29 Royal Commissions Act 1912 (Cth) Royal Commissions Act 1917 (SA) s 16 Royal Commissions Act 1923 (NSW) s 17(2) Royal Commissions Act 1968 (WA) s 20 Royal Commissions Act 1991 (ACT) s 24(3) Royal Commissions and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2001 (Cth) Special Commission Act 1888, 51 & 52 Vict, c 35, s 10 Special Commissions of Inquiry Act 1983 (NSW) s 23 Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act (No. 1) 1982 (Cth) Trades Union Commission Act 1867, 30 Vict, c 8, s 4 Cases Cited: Ali v Nationwide News Pty Ltd [2008] NSWCA 183 Anderson v Nationwide News Pty Ltd (1970) 72 SR (NSW) 313 Burns v Sunol [2014] NSWCATAD 61 Chakravarti v Advertiser Newspapers Ltd (1998) 193 CLR 519; [1998] HCA 37 Colonial Sugar Refining Co Ltd v Attorney-General (Cth) (1912) 15 CLR 182; [1912] HCA 94 Cook v Alexander [1974] QB 279 Ebner v Official Trustee in Bankruptcy (2000) 205 CLR 337; [2000] HCA 63 Ekermawi v Jones (No 3) [2014] NSWCATAD 58 Feldman v Polaris Media Pty Ltd as Trustee of the Polaris Media Trust t/as The Australian Jewish News [2020] NSWCA 56 Feldman v Polaris Media Pty Ltd as trustee of The Polaris Media Trust trading as The Australian Jewish News (No 2) [2018] NSWSC 1035; [2018] Aust Torts Reports 82-395 Fox v Percy (2003) 214 CLR 118; [2003] HCA 22 Giannarelli v The Queen (1983) 154 CLR 212; [1983] HCA 41 Hatfield v TCN Channel Nine Pty Ltd (2010) 77 NSWLR 506; [2010] NSWCA 69 Herron v HarperCollins Publishers Australia Pty Ltd [2020] FCA 805 Hood v The Queen (1997) 91 A Crim R 526 Hutchison v Robinson (1900) 21 LR (NSW) 130 Lacey v Attorney-General (Qld) (2011) 242 CLR 573; [2011] HCA 10 Lee v New South Wales Crime Commission (2013) 251 CLR 196; [2013] HCA 39 Leslie v Mirror Newspapers Ltd (1971) 125 CLR 332; [1971] HCA 66 Macdougall v Knight (1890) 25 QBD 1 Macquarie Radio Network Pty Ltd v Dent [2007] NSWCA 261 Mohareb v Booth [2020] NSWCA 49 Mohareb v Kelso (No 2) [2018] NSWCA 246 Nationwide News Pty Limited v Rush (2020) 380 ALR 432; [2020] FCAFC 115 Poniatowska v Channel Seven Sydney Pty Ltd [2019] SASCFC 111 R v Bayeh [1999] NSWCCA 82 Rogers v Nationwide News Pty Ltd (2003) 216 CLR 327; [2003] HCA 52 SZUON v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2018] FCA 705 Thom v Associated Newspapers Ltd (1964) 64 SR (NSW) 376 Warren v Coombes (1979) 142 CLR 531; [1979] HCA 9 Waterhouse v Broadcasting Station 2GB Pty Ltd (1985) 1 NSWLR 58 X v Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (2007) 226 CLR 630; [2007] HCA 4 Texts Cited: House of Representatives, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard), 24 July 1912 at 1181 Senate, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard), 14 August 1912 at 2105 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Feldman (Appellant) Nationwide News Pty Ltd (First Respondent) Herald and Weekly Times Pty Ltd (Second Respondent) Special Broadcasting Service Corporation (SBS) (Third Respondent) Representation: Counsel: