O'Shanassy v Turland (No 3) [2025] NSWDC 27

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: O'Shanassy v Turland (No 3) [2025] NSWDC 27 Hearing dates: 13 February 2025 Date of orders: 13 February 2025 Decision date: 21 February 2025 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Gibson DCJ Decision: (1) General access to packet S-19, being the documents produced by Westpac to subpoena issued on 18 December 2024. (2) Costs reserved, with liberty to apply. Catchwords: TORT – defamation – subpoena – application to set aside subpoena – whether the "apparent relevance" test for legitimate forensic purpose is made out – access granted Legislation Cited: Defamation Act 2005 (NSW), ss 25, 26 Cases Cited: Agustin-Bunch v Smith (No 2) [2022] VSC 290 Australian Broadcasting Corporation v Chau Chak Wing (2019) 271 FCR 632; [2019] FCAFC 125 Balzola v Passas [2018] NSWSC 1948 Blaylock-Rayner v Seven Network (Operations) Limited [2023] FCA 1026 Brooks v Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd (No 2) [2015] NSWSC 1331 Chase v News Group Newspapers Ltd [2002] EWCA Civ 1772; [2003] EMLR 11 Crosby v Kelly [2013] FCA 1343 Della Bosca v Arena [1999] NSWSC 1057 Granitto v Gostelow [2018] WASC 242 Greiss v Seven Network (Operations) Limited (No 2) [2024] FCA 98 Hayson v John Fairfax Publication Pty Limited [2007] NSWCA 376 Hickinbotham v Leach (1842) 10 M & W 361; 152 ER 510 Hun v Aljazeera International (Malaysia) Sdn BHD (No 3) [2024] FCA 1261 Ives v The State of Western Australia [No 7] [2013] WASC 62 Kingsfield Holdings Pty Ltd v Sullivan Commercial Pty Ltd [2013] WASC 347 Martrat Pty Limited trading as Huxley Hill and Associates v Murphy [2020] NSWDC 1 McGrane v BTQ Channel 7 [2011] QSC 290 Murray v Raynor [2019] NSWCA 274 O'Shanassy v Turland [2021] NSWDC 642 Roberts-Smith v Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd (No 42) (2023) 417 ALR 859; [2023] FCA 750 Secretary of the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment v Blacktown City Council [2021] NSWCA 145 Sims v Wran [1984] 1 NSWLR 317 Walter v Buckeridge [No 3] [2010] WASC 68 Winn v Thompson [2024] FCA 358 Wooton v Sievier [1913] 3 KB 499 Zierenberg v Labouchere [1893] 2 QB 183 Texts Cited: Brown on Defamation: Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, United States (2nd ed) at [10-82] P Taylor, Ritchie's Uniform Civil Procedure New South Wales, LexisNexis at [31.4.5] Category: Procedural rulings Parties: Paul O'Shanassy (Plaintiff) Gary Turland (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr White SC with Mr A Flick (Plaintiff) Mr Sibtain SC with Mr T Senior (Defendant)