Read v Gitman [2023] NSWDC 330

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Read v Gitman [2023] NSWDC 330 Hearing dates: 27 - 30 March, 15 May, 14 June 2023 Date of orders: 24 August 2023 Decision date: 24 August 2023 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Gibson DCJ Decision: (1) Judgment for the plaintiff for the first, second and third matters complained of in the sum of $35,000. (2) Costs reserved. (3) Liberty to apply in relation to costs and interest. (4) Exhibits retained until further order. Catchwords: TORT – Defamation – Plaintiff is the chair, secretary and treasurer of the owners committee of a small apartment block – Three publications by the strata manager to owners, a tenant and unit managers concerning her conduct of strata matters – Qualified privilege at common law – Malice – Defence of justification to one imputation – Damages Legislation Cited: Defamation Act 2005 (NSW), ss 10A, 34, 35, 38, 39 Home Building Act 1989 (NSW), ss 3, 4, 10, 92(1)(a) Property and Stock Agents Act 2002 (NSW), ss 3B(1), 8(1), 32(1), 86(1), 103(3), 104(1)(a) Property Stock and Business Agents Regulation 2014 (NSW) Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW), ss 30(4), 33(2), 178(1)(c), Schedule 1, ss 11, 21 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 17.6, 31.10 Cases Cited: Aktas v Westpac Banking Corporation Limited (2010) 241 CLR 79; [2010] HCA 25 Amalgamated Television Services Pty Ltd v Marsden (1998) 43 NSWLR 158 Balzola v Passas [2020] NSWSC 896 Bashford v Information Australia (Newsletters) Pty Ltd (2004) 218 CLR 366; [2004] HCA 5 Bauer Media Pty Ltd v Wilson (No 2) [2018] VSCA 154 Bennette v Cohen [2009] NSWCA 60 Blatch v Archer (1774) 1 Cowp 63; 98 ER 969 Boulas v Angelopoulos (1991) 5 BPR 11,477 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336; [1938] HCA 34 Callan v Chawk [2023] FCA 898 Carolan v Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd (No 7) [2017] NSWSC 351 Carson v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd (1993) 178 CLR 44; [1993] HCA 31 Coles Myer Limited v Webster; Coles Myer Limited v Thompson [2009] NSWCA 299 Cosco v Hutley (No 2) [2020] NSWSC 893 Craig v Williams [2019] NZSC 38; [2019] 1 NZLR 457 Crampton v Nugawela (1996) 41 NSWLR 176 Cush v Dillon and Boland v Dillon [2009] NSWDC 21 David v Abdishou [2012] NSWCA 109 Dillon v Cush; Dillon v Boland [2010] NSWCA 165 Do v Kolsumdet Pty Ltd [2023] FCA 592 Donoghue v Stevenson [1932] AC 562 Drummoyne Municipal Council v Australian Broadcasting Corporation (1990) 21 NSWLR 135 Duma v Fairfax Media Publications Pty Limited (No 3) [2023] FCA 47 El-Debel v Micheletto (Trustee) [2021] FCAFC 117 Ell v Milne (No.8) [2014] NSWSC 175 Eustice v Channel Seven Adelaide Pty Ltd [2020] SASC 4 Fairfax Media Publications Pty v Kermode (2011) 81 NSWLR 157 Favell v Queensland Newspapers Pty Ltd (2005) 219 CLR 165; [2005] HCA 52 Fraser v Holmes (2009) 253 ALR 538 Gayle v Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd (No 2) Gayle v The Age Company Pty Ltd (No 2); Gayle v The Federal Capital Press of Australia Pty Ltd (No 2) [2018] NSWSC 1838 Gough v Squillacioti [2021] NSWDC 411 Goyan v Motyka [2008] NSWCA 28 Henderson v London Borough of Hackney [2010] EWHC 1651 (QB) Holmes a Court v Papaconstuntinos [2011] NSWCA 59; Aust Torts Reports 82-081 Holt v TCN Channel Nine Pty Ltd (2014) 86 NSWLR 96 Horrocks v Lowe [1975] AC 135 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298; [1959] HCA 8 Kalil v Eppinga [2023] NSWDC 107 KSMC Holdings Pty Ltd t/as Hubba Bubba Childcare on Haig v Bowden (2020) 101 NSWLR 729; [2020] NSWCA 28 Lassanah v State of New South Wales (No. 3) [2010] NSWDC 241 Lesses v Maras (2017) 128 SASR 292; [2017] SASCFC 48 Lindholdt v Hyer [2008] NSWCA 264 Lloyd-Jones v Allen [2012] NSWCA 230 Lorbek v King [2023] VSCA 111 Machado & Anor v Underwood & Anor [2016] SASCFC 65 Massoud v Nationwide News Pty Ltd; Massoud v Fox Sports Australia Pty Ltd (2022) 109 NSWLR 468; [2022] NSWCA 150 Moit v Bristow [2005] NSWCA 322 Mowlds v Fergusson (1939) 40 SR (NSW) 311 Palmer v McGowan (No 5) (2022) 404 ALR 621; [2022] FCA 893 Pamplin v Express Newspapers [1988] 1 WLR 116 Papaconstuntinos v Holmes a Court (2012) 249 CLR 534; [2012] HCA 53 Pavlovic v Karzon [2023] QCA 37 Payne v Parker [1976] 1 NSWLR 191 Prager v Times Newspapers Ltd [1988] 1 WLR 77 Roberts v Bass (2002) 212 CLR 1; [2002] HCA 57 Roberts-Smith v Fairfax Media Publications Pty Limited (No 41) [2023] FCA 555 Rogers v Nationwide News Pty Ltd (2003) 216 CLR 327; [2003] HCA 52 Rush v Nationwide News Pty Ltd (No 7) [2019] FCA 496 Sim v Stretch [1936] 2 All ER 1237 Singleton v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd (Supreme Court (NSW), Hunt J, 20 February 1980, unrep) Slater v Ecosol Pty Ltd [2023] SASC 99 Sobrinho v Impresa Publishing SA [2016] EWHC 66 (QB); [2016] EMLR 12 Stocker v Stocker [2020] AC 593; [2019] UKSC 17 Stoltenberg v Bolton [2020] NSWCA 45; (2020) 380 ALR 145 Toben v Milne [2014] NSWCA 200 Toogood v Spyring (1834) 1 Cr M & R 181; 149 ER 1044 Trkulja v Google LLC (2018) 263 CLR 149; [2018] HCA 25 Trkulja v Markovic [2015] VSCA 298 Xuan v Xu [2022] FCA 508 Texts Cited: Nil Category: Principal judgment Parties: Marlene Read (plaintiff) Mark Gitman (defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr R Rasmussen (plaintiff) Mr M J Lewis with Ms A Sapienza (defendant)