Charlwood Industries Pty Ltd v Brent [2002] NSWCA 201

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : Charlwood Industries Pty Ltd v Brent [2002] NSWCA 201 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40848/01 HEARING DATE(S) : 26/06/02 JUDGMENT DATE : 18 July 2002

PARTIES : Charlwood Industries Pty Ltd v Nick Brent JUDGMENT OF : Sheller JA at 1; Hodgson JA at 2; Ipp AJA at 3

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : Supreme Court - Common Law Division LOWER COURT SC 13192/00 FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT Newman AJ JUDICIAL OFFICER :

COUNSEL : T K Tobin QC/S Phillips (Appellant) T D Blackburn/C Taylor (Respondent) SOLICITORS : Schrader & Associates (Appellant) S Hodges (Respondent) CATCHWORDS : DEFAMATION - where a jury found an imputation of lying was conveyed but was not defamatory - whether jury's finding perverse - principles - circumstances where a jury verdict may have been a compromise - whether Court should order both issues to be retried - principles - Defamation Act 1974 s 7A - DEFAMATION - practice and procedure - power of Court of Appeal to direct a verdict - circumstances where the Court of Appeal would exercise discretion under s 108(3) Supreme Court Act 1970 - principles. D Defamation Act 1974 LEGISLATION CITED : Supreme Court Act 1970 Supreme Court Procedure Act 1900 Sarma v The Federal Capital Press of Australia Pty Limited [2002] NSWCA 93 Cairns v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd [1983] 2 NSWLR 708 Browne v Agar (1928) 138 LT 698 Mechanical & General Inventions Co v Austin [1935] AC 346 Hocking v Bell (1942) 42 SR (NSW) 130 Cinevest Ltd v Yirandi Productions Ltd (2001) ATR 81-610 Greek Herald Pty Limited v Nikolopoulos [2002] NSWCA 41 Broome v Agar (1928) 138 LT 698 Mularczyk v John Fairfax Publications Pty Limited [2001] NSWCA 467 Harrigan v Jones [2000] NSWSC 119 Australian Broadcasting Corporation v McBride (2001) NSWCA 322 Singleton v Ffrench (1986) 5 NSWLR 425 CASES CITED: Reader's Digest Services Pty Limited v Lamb (1982) 150 CLR 500 Pavy v John Fairfax Publications Proprietary Limited 2002) NSWCA 46 Rivkin v John Fairfax Publications Pty Limited [2002] NSWCA 87 Pateman v Higgin (1957) 97 CLR 521 Monti-Haitsma Enterprises Pty Limited v Lord (1988) Aust Torts Reports 80-200 Radio 2UE Sydney Proprietary Limited v Parker (1992) 29 NSWLR 448 Coroneo v Kurri Kurri and South Maitland Amusement Company Limited (1934) 51 CLR 328 Holford v Melbourne Tramway and Omnibus Company Limited 1909) VLR 497 Morgan v John Fairfax and Sons Limited [No 2] (1991) 23 NSWLR 374 Buck v Jones [2002] NSWCA 8 Hocking v Bell (1945) 71 CLR 430 Shepherd v Felt & Textiles of Australia Limited (1931) 45 CLR 359 Edmund Weil Inc v Russell (1936) 56 CLR 34 DECISION : (1) The appeal is upheld in part (2) The verdict of the jury, that the matter complained of conveyed the imputation that the appellant lies to its customers, is set aside (3) The verdict of the jury, that such an imputation was not defamatory of the appellant is set aside (4) A new trial with a jury is ordered with respect to both questions (5) The respondent to pay the appellant 65% of the costs of the appeal (6) The respondent should have a certificate under the Suitor's Fund Act, if otherwise entitled.