Australian Broadcasting Corporation v Reading [2004] NSWCA 411

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : Australian Broadcasting Corporation v Reading [2004] NSWCA 411 HEARING DATE(S) : 14 April 2004 JUDGMENT DATE : 15 November 2004

JUDGMENT OF : Santow JA at 1; Ipp JA at 109; McColl JA at 139 DECISION : Leave to appeal granted. Appeal allowed. Cross-appeal dismissed.

CATCHWORDS : DEFAMATION - whether the trial judge was bound to record the unanimous answers of the jury and enter judgment accordingly - whether the trial judge had power to discharge the jury and order a new trial - whether power to discharge jury was properly exercised - whether the jury's answer that imputation was not defamatory was perverse or unreasonable or a conclusion that no reasonable jury, properly instructed, could reach - scope of appellate review of determination of jury in defamation proceedings - scope of new trial. LEGISLATION CITED : Defamation Act 1974 (NSW) s7A Supreme Court Rules Pt 34 r 8A Australian Broadcasting Corporation v McBride (2001) 53 NSWLR 430 Australian Newspaper Company Limited v Bennett [1894] AC 284 Beran v John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd [2004] NSWCA 107 Boyd v Mirror Newspapers Ltd [1980] 2 NSWLR 449 Bradbury v NZ Loan and Mercantile Agency Co Ltd (1927) SR(NSW) 15 Bromley v Tonkin (1987) 11 NSWLR 211 Broome v Agar (1928) 138 LT 698 Cairns v John Fairfax and Sons Ltd (1983) 2 NSWLR 708 Capital & Counties Bank Ltd v George Henty & Sons (1882) 7 App Cas 741 Charlwood Industries Pty Limited v Brent [2002] NSWCA 201 Cinevest Ltd v Yirandi Productions Ltd [2001] NSWCA 68 Costains (Australia) Pty Limited v Atkinson (NSWCA 5 October 1995 unreported) Cunningham v Ryan (1919) 27 CLR 294 Ex parte Burns (1893) 10 WN(NSW) 70 Field v Timber Industries Ltd (NSWCA, 17 June 1990, unreported) Gardiner v John Fairfax & Sons Pty Ltd (1942) 42 SR (NSW) 171 CASES CITED : Gorman v Barber & Ors [2004] NSWCA 402 Greek Herald Pty Ltd v Nikolopoulos (2001) 54 NSWLR 165 Hardy v Harris BC8601168 - an edited version appears at (1986) Aust Torts Reports 80-003 John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd v Rivkin [2003] HCA 50; (2003) 77 ALJR 1657 Lithgow District Hospital v Miller (NSWCA, 8 December 1994, unreported) Lockhart v Harrison (1928) 139 LT 521 Morgan v John Fairfax & Sons Limited (1998) 13 NSWLR 208 Mourani v Jeldi Manufacturing Pty Ltd (1983) 57 ALJR 825 Mularczyk v John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd [2001] NSWCA 467 Nationwide News Pty Ltd v Heggie [2001] NSWCA 257 Pavy v John Fairfax Publications Pty Limited [2002] NSWCA 46 Reader's Digest Services Pty Limited v Lamb (1982) 150 CLR 500 Reading v Australian Broadcasting Corporation [2003] NSWSC 716 R v Meany (1862) 169 ER 1368; Safeway Stores plc v Tate [2001] QB 1120 Saffron v John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd [2004] NSWCA 254 Sarma v Federal Capital Press of Australia [2002] NSWCA 93 PARTIES : AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION (Claimant/Cross-Opponent) Paul George READING (Opponent/Cross-Claimant) FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40695/03 COUNSEL : B WALKER, SC/ R FRANCOIS (Claimant/ Cross-Opponent) B McCLINTOCK, SC/ M RICHARDSON (Opponent/ Cross-Claimant) SOLICITORS : Stephen Collins, Solicitor, Australian Broadcasting Corporation (Claimant/ Cross-Opponent) Corrs Chambers Westgarth (Opponent/ Cross-Claimant)