JONES v. SUTTON [2004] NSWCA 439

Reported Decision : 61 NSWLR 614

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : JONES v. SUTTON [2004] NSWCA 439 HEARING DATE(S) : 22/04/04; 10/06/04 JUDGMENT DATE : 26 November 2004

JUDGMENT OF : Beazley JA at 1; Santow JA at 82; Stein AJA at 83 DECISION : 1. Appeal allowed.; 2. Set aside the verdict and orders made by the trial judge; 3. Judgment for the appellant in the sum of $1,000.00 in relation to the cause of action arising out of the Dubbo bus publication; 4. Judgment for the appellant in the sum of $1,000.00 in relation to the cause of action arising out of the Dubbo bus republication.; 5. Judgment for the appellant in the sum of $3,000.00 in relation to the cause of action arising out Councillor's lounge publication. ; 6. Verdicts for the appellant accordingly.; 7. Order the respondent to pay the costs at first instance and of the appeal.; 8. The respondent is to have a certificate under the Suitor's Fund Act 1951 (NSW) if so entitled.

CATCHWORDS : DEFAMATION - Defamation Act 1974 (NSW), s.13 - Defence - Test to be applied - Meaning of "Not likely to cause harm" - Irrelevance of whether harm was in fact occasioned - "Grapevine effect" - Republication - Relevance of content of publication. - DEFAMATION - Reputation - Relevance of reputation of plaintiff to s.13 defence - Knowledge of reputation of plaintiff. - DEFAMATION - Onus. - DEFAMATION - Damages - Whether harm was actually occasioned. LEGISLATION CITED : Defamation Act 1974 (NSW) Suitor's Fund Act 1951 (NSW) Assaf v. Skalkos (2002) Aust Torts Reports 81-644 Australian Telecommunications Commission v. Krieg Enterprises Pty. Limited (1976) 14 SASR 303 Balog and Stait v ICAC (1990) 169 CLR 625 Bropho v State of Western Australia (1990) 171 CLR 1 Cassell & Co Limited v. Broome [1972] AC 1027 Chappell v. Mirror Newspapers (1984) Aust Torts Reports 80-691 Coco v R (1994) 179 CLR 427 Dingle v. Associated Newspaper Limited [1961] 2 QB 162 CASES CITED : John Fairfax Publication Pty. Limited v. Rivkin (2003) 201 ALR 77 King and Mergen Holdings Pty. Limited v. McKenzie (1991) 24 NSWLR 305 Morosi v. Mirror Newspapers [1977] 2 NSWLR 749 Overseas Tankship (U.K.) Limited v. The Miller Steamship Co. Pty. Ltd. [1967] 1 AC 617 Palmer Bruyn v. Parsons (2001) 208 CLR 388 Perkins v New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council (unreported, NSWSC, 15 August 1997) Potter v Minahan (1908) 7 CLR 277 Rodway v The Queen (1990) 169 CLR 515 Singleton v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd (No. 1) [1983] 2 NSWLR 722 Tillmanns Butcheries Pty Limited v. AMIEU (1979) 42 FLR 331 PARTIES : Darren Gregor Jones (Appellant) Ruth Sutton (Respondent) FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 41206/02; 40290/03 COUNSEL : T.E.F. Hughes QC/A. Leopold (Appellant) B. McClintock SC/R.K. Weaver/A.T.S. Dawson (Respondent) SOLICITORS : Allens Arthur Robinson (Appellant) Freehills (Respondent)