Bailey v WIN Television NSW Pty Ltd [2020] NSWCA 352

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Bailey v WIN Television NSW Pty Ltd [2020] NSWCA 352 Hearing dates: 21 September 2020 Date of orders: 22 December 2020 Decision date: 22 December 2020 Before: Meagher JA at [1]; White JA at [5]; Simpson AJA at [16] Decision: 1. To the extent necessary, leave to appeal is granted; 2. The appeal is dismissed; 3. The appellant is to pay the respondents' costs of the appeal. Catchwords: DEFAMATION – defamatory matter – where news report on termination of General Manager of Council – where report referred to allegations of bullying and intimidation – whether imputation conveyed that General Manager bullied and intimidated staff DEFAMATION – defences – statutory qualified privilege – reasonableness – relevance of propositions stated in Morgan v John Fairfax Ltd [No 2] (1991) 23 NSWLR 374 Legislation Cited: Defamation Act 1958 (NSW) Defamation Act 1974 (NSW) Defamation Act 2005 (NSW) Defamation Amendment Act 2002 (NSW) Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) Cases Cited: Adam v Ward [1917] AC 309 Aktas v Westpac Banking Corporation (2010) 241 CLR 79; [2010] HCA 35 Austin v Mirror Newspapers Ltd (1985) 3 NSWLR 354 Barbaro v Amalgamated Television Services Pty Ltd (1990) 20 NSWLR 493 Braddock v Bevins [1948] 1 KB 580 Capital and Counties Bank Ltd v Henty & Sons (1882) 7 App Cas. 741 Cummings v Fairfax Digital Australia & New Zealand Pty Ltd (2018) 99 NSWLR 173; [2018] NSWCA 325 Fox v Percy (2003) 214 CLR 118; [2003] HCA 22 John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd v Zunter [2006] NSWCA 227 Lange v Australian Broadcasting Corporation (1997) 189 CLR 520; [1997] HCA 25 Lee v Lee; Hsu v RACQ Insurance Limited; Lee v RACQ Insurance Limited [2019] HCA 28 Lewis v Daily Telegraph Ltd [1963] 1 QB 340 Lewis v Daily Telegraph Ltd [1964] AC 234 Marshall v Megna [2013] NSWCA 30 Morgan v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd (1990) 20 NSWLR 511 Morgan v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd [No 2] (1991) 23 NSWLR 374 Nationwide News Pty Ltd v Rush [2020] FCAFC 115 Radio 2UE Sydney Pty Ltd v Chesterton (2009) 238 CLR 460; [2009] HCA 16 Roberts v Bass (2002) 212 CLR 1; [2002] HCA 57 Robinson Helicopter Company Incorporated v McDermott [2016] HCA 22 Rush v Nationwide News Pty Ltd (No 7) [2019] FCA 496 Stoltenberg v Bolton; Loder v Bolton [2020] NSWCA 45 Toogood v Spyring [1834] Eng R 363; (1834) 1 Cr MR 181; 149 ER 1044 Warren v Coombes (1979) 142 CLR 531; [1979] HCA 9 Texts Cited: New South Wales, Parliamentary Debates, Legislative Council, 5 December 2002 at 7774. Category: Principal judgment Parties: Roger Bailey (Appellant) WIN Television NSW Pty Ltd (1st Respondent) WIN Corporation Pty Limited (2nd Respondent) Representation: Counsel: D R Sibtain/L Barnett (Appellant) S T Chrysanthou SC/B Dean (Respondents)