CHANNEL SEVEN SYDNEY PTY LTD v PARRAS & ORS [2002] NSWCA 202

Reported Decision : (2002) Aust Torts Reports 81-675

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : CHANNEL SEVEN SYDNEY PTY LTD v PARRAS & ORS [2002] NSWCA 202 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40306/01 HEARING DATE(S) : 5 April 2002 JUDGMENT DATE : 1 July 2002

PARTIES : CHANNEL SEVEN SYDNEY PTY LTD v Colin Peter PARRAS & 2 Ors JUDGMENT OF : Mason P at 1; Handley JA at 80; Ipp AJA at 81

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : Supreme Court - Common Law Division LOWER COURT SC 20149/00 FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT Simpson J JUDICIAL OFFICER :

COUNSEL : Appellant: R R Stitt QC/ M Lynch Respondent: B McClintock SC/ S A Kerr SOLICITORS : Appellant: Mallesons Stephen Jaques Respondent: Back Schwartz Vaughan CATCHWORDS : DEFAMATION - imputations - whether jury's findings on whether the imputations were conveyed were open - identification - plaintiffs not identified by name or title - link between publication and plaintiff - whether necessary to have knowledge of corporate plaintiff's actual name - business names - substance of identification - co-plaintiffs giving evidence of identification. (D). LEGISLATION CITED : Defamation Act 1974, s 7A Abbott v TCN Channel Nine Pty Ltd (1987) Aust Torts Rep 80-138 Amalgamated Television Services Pty Ltd v Marsden (1998) 43 NSWLR 158 Andrews v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd [1980] 2 NSWLR 225 Barbaro v Amalgamated Television Services Pty Ltd (1985) 4 NSWLR 30 Consolidated Trust Co Ltd v Browne (1948) 49 SR(NSW) 86 Cross v Denley (1952) 52 SR(NSW) 112 Fullam v Newcastle Chronicle & Journal Limited [1977] 1 WLR 651 Godhard v James Inglis & Co Ltd (1905) 2 CLR 78 Henry v TVW Enterprises Ltd (1990) 3 WAR 474 CASES CITED: Hough v London Express Newspaper Ltd [1940] 2 KB 507 Knupffer v London Express Newspapers [1944] AC 116 Kruse v Lindner (1978) 45 FLR 412 Mann v Medical Centre Pty Ltd (1991) 105 FLR 419 McCormick v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd (1989) 16 NSWLR 485 Mirror Newspapers Ltd v World Hosts Pty Ltd (1979) 141 CLR 632 Morgan v Odhams Press Ltd [1971] 1 WLR 1239 State Bank of New South Wales Ltd v Currabubula Holdings Pty Ltd (2001) 51 NSWLR 399 Steele v Mirror Newspapers Ltd [1974] 2 NSWLR 348 Tesco Supermarkets Ltd v Nattras [1972] AC 153 Vlasic v Federal Capital Press of Australia Pty Ltd (1976) 9 ACTR 1 DECISION : 1. Appeal upheld in part.; 2. Set aside the determinations of the jury which held that the matter complained of conveyed imputation (a).; 3. Respondents to pay one third of the appellant's costs and to have a certificate under the Suitors' Fund Act 1951 if qualified.