John Fairfax Publications Pty Limited v Obeid [2005] NSWCA 60

Reported Decision : 64 NSWLR 485

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION: John Fairfax Publications Pty Limited v Obeid [2005] NSWCA 60

HEARING DATE(S): 14 May 2004

JUDGMENT DATE: 14 March 2005

JUDGMENT OF: Sheller JA at 1; McColl JA at 2; McClellan AJA at 130

DECISION: (1) Grant the appellant leave to appeal subject to filing the Amended Notice of Appeal within 14 days. (2) Dismiss the appeal. (3) Appellant to pay the respondent's costs.

CATCHWORDS: DEFAMATION - discharge of jury - whether counsel's address entitled the trial judge to discharge the jury - where counsel addressed the jury that the ordinary reasonable reader would read the matter complained of with the presumption of innocence in mind - Republication of defamatory hearsay - adoption - relevance of publisher's intention - whether error of discretion - appeal dismissed. (D)

LEGISLATION CITED: Defamation Act 1974 (NSW)

Ainsworth Nominees Pty Limited v Hanrahan [1982] 2 NSWLR 823 Astaire v Campling [1966] 1 WLR 34 Australian Broadcasting Corporation v Comalco Ltd (1986) 12 FCR 510 Bass v TCN Channel Nine [2003] NSWCA 118; (2003) 60 NSWLR 251 Bass v McDonald & TCN Channel Nine [2001] NSWSC 988 Bik v Mirror Newspapers Limited [1979] 2 NSWLR 679 Buck v Jones [2002] NSWCA 8 Capital & Counties Bank Ltd v George Henty & Sons (1882) 7 App Cas 741 Dow v Jones & Company Inc v Gutnick [2002] HCA 56; 210 CLR 575 Emmens v Pottle (1885) 16 QBD 354 Gillespie v Nationwide News Pty Limited [2000] NSWSC 553 Gonzales v Claridades [2003] NSWSC 508; (2003) 58 NSWLR 188 Hassen v Post Newspapers Pty Ltd (1965) 3 SA 562 Hepburn v TCN Channel Nine Pty Ltd [1983] 2 NSWLR 664 Harrison v Mirror Newspapers Ltd [1981] 1 NSWLR 620 John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd Rivkin [2003] HCA 50; (2003) 77 ALJR 1657 Lang v Australian Consolidated Press Ltd [1970] 2 NSWR 408 CASES CITED: Lee v Wilson & Mackinnon [1934] HCA 60; (1934) 51 CLR 276 Lewis v Daily Telegraph [1963] QB 340 Lewis v Daily Telegraph Ltd [1964] AC 234 Love v Mirror Newspapers Ltd [1980] 2 NSWLR 112 Mirror Newspapers Limited v Harrison [1982] HCA 50; (1982) 149 CLR 293 Morgan v John Fairfax & Sons Limited (1988) 13 NSWLR 208 Morgan v Odhams Press Ltd [1971] 1 WLR 1239 Nationwide News Pty Limited v Heggie [2001] NSWCA 257 Obeid v John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd [2003] NSWSC 967 "Truth" (NZ) Limited v Holloway [1960] 1 WLR 997 Rochfort v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd [1972] 1 NSWLR 16 Rigby v John Fairfax Group Pty Ltd (New South Wales Court of Appeal, unreported, 1 February 1996) Ronald v Harper [1910] HCA 43; (1910) 11 CLR 63 Ross McConnel Kitchen & Co Pty Ltd v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd [1980] 2 NSWLR 845 Wake v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd [1973] NSWLR 43 Webb v Bloch (1928) 41 CLR 331 Webbie v Nationwide News Pty Ltd (1968) 12 FLR 271 Wheeler v Somerfield [1966] 2 QB 94