Kelly v UNSW [2025] NSWDC 24

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Kelly v UNSW [2025] NSWDC 24 Hearing dates: 06 February 2025 Date of orders: 20 February 2025 Decision date: 20 February 2025 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Gibson DCJ Decision: (1) The plaintiff's application for an extension of the limitation period to bring proceedings for defamation for the claims in paragraphs 25 – 29, 31 – 35 and 37 – 39 of the statement of claim is refused. (2) The plaintiff's claims for defamation in paragraphs 25 – 29, 31 – 35 and 37 - 39 of the statement of claim against the first and third defendants are struck out and dismissed. (3) The plaintiff's notice of motion filed on 18 December 2024 for default judgment is dismissed with costs and the plaintiff is stayed from making any further application for default judgment until such time as any of the defendants have failed to comply with court orders to file a defence by a particular date. (4) The plaintiff's claim for the tort of intimidation (paragraphs 30 and 36 of the statement of claim) is struck out with leave to replead. (5) The plaintiff's amended statement of claim deleting the defamation claims and repleading the tort of intimidation claim is to be filed within 28 days and to be accompanied by a Statement of Particulars conformably with UCPR r 15.12. (6) These proceedings removed from the Defamation List and placed in the General List, with a return date of 7 March 2025 before the Judicial Registrar for a timetable, such timetable to include any orders for the filing of defences. (7) Pursuant to UCPR r 42.20, the plaintiff is to pay the first and third defendants' costs of this application and of the defamation proceedings. Catchwords: TORT – claims for defamation, assault and intimidation – application for summary dismissal of the defamation claims - whether a valid concerns notice was filed for the defamation claims – whether an extension of time should be granted for the claims, all of which were commenced more than 12 months after publication – all defamation claims struck out – remaining causes of action referred to the General List Legislation Cited: Defamation Act 2005 (NSW), ss 12A, 12B Limitation Act 1969 (NSW), ss 14B, 63 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 13.4, 14.28, 15.7, 15.8, 15.12, 42.20 Cases Cited: Bewry v Reed Elsevier UK Ltd (trading as LexisNexis) and another [2014] All ER (D) 361 Cooper v Nine Entertainment Co Pty Ltd [2023] FCA 726; (2023) 169 ACSR 583 Doueihi v State of New South Wales (No 3) [2022] NSWSC 1403 Duraisamy v Sydney Trains [2019] NSWCA 269 Galam (BY Litigation Guardian Tichonova) v Shahin [2023] SASCA 27 Galam v Shahin [2023] HCASL 88 Gallo v Dawson (1990) 93 ALR 479 Gary Leech v John Silvester [2012] NSWSC 1367 Kelly v Davis [2022] NSWDC 352 Isaac v TCN Channel Nine Pty Ltd [2023] VSC 70 Joukhador v Network Ten Pty Ltd (2021) 283 FCR 1; [2021] FCAFC 37 Kelly v University of New South Wales [2022] NSWDC 392 Khan v Hassan (Ruling No 3) [2023] VCC 2243 Kostov v Nationwide News Pty Ltd (No 1) [2018] NSWSC 1822 Landrey v Nine Network Australia Pty Ltd [2024] FCAFC 76 Lehrmann v Network Ten Pty Ltd (Limitation Extension) [2023] FCA 385 McGuirk v University of New South Wales [2010] NSWCA 104 McKay v Paule [2022] ACTCA 72 Nationwide News Pty Ltd v Vass (2018) 98 NSWLR 672; [2018] NSWCA 259 Noonan v MacLennan [2010] QCA 50; [2010] 2 Qd R 537 Porter v Australian Broadcasting Corporation [2021] FCA 863 Reichel v McGrath (1889) 14 App Cas 665 Rippon v Chilcotin Pty Limited (2001) 53 NSWLR 198; [2001] NSWCA 142 Rock v Henderson [2021] NSWCA 155 Russell v S3@Raw Pty Ltd [2024] FCA 991 Staged Plus Pty Ltd v Yummi Fruit Ice-Creamery Pty Ltd [2024] QDC 88 Storry v Parkyn (Vexatious Proceedings Order) (2024) 304 FCR 318; [2024] FCAFC 100 Styles v Clayton Utz (No 3) [2011] NSWSC 1452 Surie v MacDonald [2024] QCA 254 Teh v Woodworth [2022] NSWDC 411 Uber BV v Howarth (2017) 94 NSWLR 636; [2017] NSWSC 54 Walton v Gardiner (1993) 177 CLR 378; [1993] HCA 77 White v Thompson [2011] NSWCA 161 Woolf v Brandt [2023] NSWCA 290 Texts Cited: Nil Category: Procedural rulings Parties: Milton Kelly (Plaintiff) UNSW (First Defendant) MSS (Second Defendant) Sarah Heesom (Third Defendant) Representation: Counsel: T B Senior (First Defendant) N G Olson (Third Defendant)