Liquor Marketing Group & Anor v Sadler [2000] NSWCA 161

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : Liquor Marketing Group & Anor v Sadler [2000] NSWCA 161 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40795/98 HEARING DATE(S) : 19-20 April 2000 JUDGMENT DATE : 6 July 2000

Liquor Marketing Group Limited (First Appellant)

PARTIES : Ernie Begg (Second Appellant) v Gary Sadler (Respondent) JUDGMENT OF : Sheller JA at 1; Giles JA at 5; Davies AJA at 31

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : District Court LOWER COURT 281/98 FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT Goldring DCJ JUDICIAL OFFICER :

COUNSEL : As: Mr T K Tobin QC, Mr M G Lynch R: Mr B R McClintock SC, Mr R C Titterton SOLICITORS : As: Freehill Hollingdale & Page R: Wall & Associates CATCHWORDS : Defamation - whether defamatory imputation could be drawn from publication - pleading of defamatory innuendo - qualified privilege under statute and common law - whether defendant afforded natural justice - whether proceedings should be remitted for rehearing on damages alone Defamation Act 1974, ss 9,22 Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth), s 53 LEGISLATION CITED : Fair Trading Act 1987, s 44,45 Supreme Court Act 1970, s107 District Court Rules, Pt17r10 Morgan v John Fairfax & Sons Limited (No2) (1991) 23 NSWLR 374 Humphries v TWT Ltd (1993) 120 ALR 693 Lewis v Daily Telegraph Ltd [1964] AC 234 Dawson Bloodstock Agency Pty Ltd v Mirror Newspapers Ltd [1979] 1 NSWLR 16 Adam v Ward [1917] AC 309 Bellino v Australian Broadcasting Corporation (1996) 185 CLR 183 CASES CITED: Horrocks v Lowe [1975] AC 135 Lange v Australian Broadcasting Corporation (1997) 189 CLR 520 Uren v Australian Consolidated Press Ltd (1965) 66 SR(NSW) 271 Australian Consolidated Press Ltd v Uren (1966) 117 CLR 185 Monti-Haitsma Enterprises Pty Ltd v Lord (1988) Aust Torts Reps 80-200 Tolley v J.S. Fry & Sons Ltd [1931] AC 333 Pateman v Higgin (1957) 97 CLR 521 DECISION : Appeal allowed. See paragraph 76.