Nationwide News Pty Limited v William El-Azzi [2004] NSWCA 382

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : Nationwide News Pty Limited v William El-Azzi [2004] NSWCA 382 HEARING DATE(S) : 14 October 2004 JUDGMENT DATE : 14 October 2004

JUDGMENT OF : Spigelman CJ at 1; Mason P at 27; Beazley JA at 28 DECISION : Application dismissed; Non-publication order

CATCHWORDS : DEFAMATION -- Mitigation of damage -- Evidence of bad reputation -- Ability to rely on post-publication evidence -- Importance of maintaining trial date LEGISLATION CITED : Defamation Act 1974 O'Hagan v Nationwide News Pty Ltd (2001) 53 NSWLR 89 Rochfort v John Fairfax and Sons Limited [1972] 1 NSWLR 16 Television New Zealand Limited v Quinn (1996) 3 NZLR 24 Middendorp Electric Co Pty Ltd v Sonneveld [2001] VSC 312 Australian Broadcasting Corporation v McBride (2001) 53 NSWLR 430 Amalgamated Television Services Pty Ltd v Marsden [2002] NSWCA 419 John Fairfax v Kelly (1987) 8 NSWLR 131 CASES CITED : Walter v Alltools Ltd (1944) 61 TLR 39 Myer Stores Ltd v Soo [1991] 2 VR 597 Sadler & State of Victoria v Madigan [1998] VSCA 53 Scott v Sampson [1882] 8 QBD 491 Plato v Speidel [1961] AC 1090 Dingle v Associated Newspapers Limited [1964] AC 371 Chappell v Mirror Newspapers Limited (1984) Aust Torts Rep 80-691 Singleton v John Fairfax & Sons Limited (No 1) [1983] 2 NSWLR 722 King & Mergen Holdings Pty Ltd v McKenzie (1991) 24 NSWLR 305 PARTIES : Nationwide News Pty Limited William El-Azzi FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40881/04 COUNSEL : TD Blackburn SC and JD Hmelnitsky - Applicant T Molomby SC and R Rasmussen - Respondent SOLICITORS : Blake Dawson Waldron - Applicant Kings Lawyers - Respondent