MAKEIG v DERWENT [2000] NSWCA 136

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : MAKEIG v DERWENT [2000] NSWCA 136 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40198/99 HEARING DATE(S) : 10/03/00 JUDGMENT DATE : 2 June 2000

PARTIES : Peter Makeig Peter Derwent JUDGMENT OF : Spigelman CJ at 1; Mason P at 52; Heydon JA at 53

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : District Court LOWER COURT DC 6144/97 FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT Puckeridge DCJ JUDICIAL OFFICER :

COUNSEL : T Molomby / R Rasmussen (Appellant) C Evatt / G Hansen (Respondent) SOLICITORS : Jennifer E Darin (Appellant) Carters Law Firm (Respondent) CATCHWORDS : DEFAMATION - defences - qualified privilege - relationship between the common law the Lange and the statutory defences - malice - "reasonableness" - Defamation Act 1974 (NSW), s22 LEGISLATION CITED : Defamation Act 1974 (NSW) Braddock v Bevins [1948] 1 KB 580 Lang v Willis (1934) 52 CLR 637 Lange v Australian Broadcasting Corporation (1997) 189 CLR 520 CASES CITED: Palmer v Belan [1999] NSWSC 187 Reynolds v Times Newspapers Ltd [1999] 3 WLR 1010 Stephens v West Australian Newspapers Ltd (1994) 182 CLR 211 Templeton v Jones [1984] 1 NZLR 448 DECISION : 1 Appeal allowed with costs.; 2 Grant leave to file the cross appeal but dismiss the cross appeal with costs.; 3 Vacate the order of the trial judge entering verdict for the Plaintiff in the sum of $70,000.; 4 Affirm the order of the trial judge that the Defendant pay the Plaintiff's costs in the proceedings before him.; 5 Remit the proceeding to the District Court to determine whether, as alleged in paragraph 4 of the Amended Defence, the matter complained which conveyed the imputation set out in par 2B(e) of the Amended Statement of Claim, was published under qualified privilege at common law and, if so, to determine the appropriate damages for imputation (a) and to make consequential orders.