Vacik Distributors Pty Limited & Anor v Australian Broadcasting Corporation & Anor [1999] NSWSC 1176

New South Wales Supreme Court CITATION : Vacik Distributors Pty Limited & Anor v Australian Broadcasting Corporation & Anor [1999] NSWSC 1176 CURRENT JURISDICTION : Common Law Division FILE NUMBER(S) : 020326/97 HEARING DATE(S) : 03/11/99, 04/11/99, 08/11/99, 09/11/99, 10/11/99, 11/11/99, 12/11/99, 15/11/99, 16/11/99, 17/11/99, 18/11/99, 19/11/99. JUDGMENT DATE : 16 December 1999

PARTIES : Vacik Distributors Pty Limited & Victor Bates v Australian Broadcasting Corporation & Nationwide News Pty Limited JUDGMENT OF : Sperling J

First & Second Plaintiff: T K Tobin QC/ P W Gray COUNSEL : First Defendant: R K Weaver Second Defendant: W T Houghton QC/ D R Sibtain First & Second Plaintiffs: Swaab Attorneys SOLICITORS : First Defendant: M Martin Second Defendant: Blake Dawson Waldron CATCHWORDS : DEFAMATION - defence under s 24 - protected report - whether matter a report of proceedings of a court. ACTS CITED : Defamation Act 1974 Anderson v Nationwide News Pty Ltd (1970) 72 SR (NSW) 313 Burchett v Kane (1980) 2 NSWLR 266 Duncan v Associated Scottish Newspapers Ltd (1929) SC 14 CASES CITED : Macdougall v Knight (1890) 25 QBD 1 Thom v Associated Newspapers Ltd (1964) 64 SR (NSW) 376 Tsikata v Newspaper Publishing plc [1997] 1 All ER 655 Waterhouse v Broadcasting Station 2GB Pty Ltd (1985) 1 NSWLR 58 DECISION : See paragraph 53

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF NEW SOUTH WALES COMMON LAW DIVISION DEFAMATION LIST

SPERLING J

Thursday, 16 December 1999 020326/97 - Vacik Distributors Pty Ltd & 1 Or v Australian Broadcasting Corporation & 1 Or