Woolf v Brandt [2023] NSWDC 460

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Woolf v Brandt [2023] NSWDC 460 Hearing dates: 27 October 2023 Date of orders: 02 November 2023 Decision date: 02 November 2023 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Gibson DCJ Decision: (1) The defendant's application that these proceedings be struck out by reason of having been brought outside the limitation period (s 56A(2) of the Limitation Act 1969 (NSW)) is granted. (2) These proceedings are struck out and dismissed. (3) The plaintiff is to pay the defendant's costs of these proceedings, with liberty to apply on all costs issues including the bringing of an application for costs to be determined by a gross sum costs order. (4) Exhibits retained until further order. Catchwords: TORT – defamation – plaintiff brings two claims for defamation for Facebook posts – the second of those claims is struck out in December 2022 due to defects in the concerns notice procedure – fresh concerns notice for second publication served in March 2023 – defendant's application for the first claim to be struck out as an abuse of process is successful – plaintiff recommences claim for the second defamation claim in August 2023 – whether extension of time required under the Limitation Act 1969 (NSW) – "just and reasonable" – delay - whether leave to commence required under s 23 of the Defamation Act 2005 (NSW) – whether the plaintiff's second statement of claim is an abuse of process Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 98(4) Defamation Act 2005 (NSW), ss 12A, 12B, 23(2) Limitation Act 1969 (NSW), ss 14C, 56A Limitation Act 2005 (WA), s 40(2) Limitation of Actions Act 1974 (Qld), s 32A Cases Cited: Campbell v Regional Publishers Pty Ltd (Supreme Court (NSW), Levine J, 30 October 1998, unrep) Carey v ABC [2010] NSWSC 709 Carey v Australian Broadcasting Corporation (2012) 84 NSWLR 90 Casley v Australian Broadcasting Corporation [2013] VSC 251 Casley v Australian Broadcasting Corporation [2013] VSCA 182; (2013) 39 VR 526 Cronau v Nelson (No 2) [2018] NSWSC 1905 Duffy v Google LLC [2022] SASC 40 Galam v Shahin [2023] HCASL 88 Galam v Shahin [2023] SASCA 27 Hooper v Catholic Family Services trading as Centacare Catholic Family Services [2023] FedCFamC2G 323 Ingram v Ingram [2022] NDWDC 653 Isaac v TCN Channel Nine Pty Ltd [2023] VSC 70 Johnston v Holland [2017] VSC 448 Joukhador v Network Ten Pty Ltd [2021] FCAFC 37 JTD v PDL (No 3) [2023] QDC 5 KMPG Pty Ltd v Owen [2023] FCA 987 Landrey v Nine Network Australia Pty Ltd [2023] FCA 27 Lorbek v King [2022] VSC 218 Massarani v Kriz [2022] FCA 80; (2022) 400 ALR 718 McKay v Paule [2022] ACTCA 72 McVicker v Australian Broadcasting Corporation [2023] QDC 167 Musicki v de Tonnerre [2023] FCA 222 Newman v Whittington [2022] NSWSC 249 Parizian v Seven Network Limited [2018] NSWDC 296 Pastor v Aegis Aged Care Staff Pty Ltd [No 3] [2022] WADC 82 Pingel v Toowoomba Newspapers Pty Ltd [2010] QCA 175 Rader v Haines [2022] NSWCA 198 Sims v Jooste [No 2] [2016] WASCA 83 Stoltenberg v Bolton [2020] NSWCA 45 Van Garderen v Channel Seven Melbourne Pty Ltd & Ors (Ruling) [2016] VCC 953 Woolf v Brandt [2022] NSWDC 623 Woolf v Brandt (No 2) [2023] NSWDC 184 Woolf v Brandt (No 3) [2023] NSWDC 215 Texts Cited: New South Wales, Law Reform Commission, Report 11 (1971) - Defamation Category: Procedural rulings Parties: Richard Farrell Woolf (plaintiff) Nicholas Brandt (defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr R Armitage (plaintiff) Mr T Smartt (defendant)