Kazi Zafar Ahmed v John Fairfax Publications Pty Limited [2006] NSWCA 6

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION: Kazi Zafar Ahmed v John Fairfax Publications Pty Limited [2006] NSWCA 6 This decision has been amended. Please see the end of the judgment for a list of the amendments.

HEARING DATE(S): 4 August 2005

JUDGMENT DATE: 3 February 2006

JUDGMENT OF: Santow JA at 1; McColl JA at 2; Basten JA at 105

DECISION: (1) Grant leave to appeal from the decision of Nicholas J of 1 October 2004. (2) Notice of appeal to be filed in seven days. (3) Allow the appeal as to imputations 3(d), (e), (g), (h) (i) and (m) and 5(e) and (g). (4) Respondent to pay the costs of the appeal. (5) Refuse leave to appeal in respect of Nicholas J's orders of 22 November 2004 striking out the particulars of aggravated damages. (6) Claimant to pay the costs of the application for leave to appeal from the order striking out of the particulars of aggravated damages.

CATCHWORDS: DEFAMATION - whether matters complained of reasonably capable of conveying imputations to ordinary reasonable reader - HELD - primary judge erred in striking out imputations - ordinary reasonable reader would read the matters complained of in the sense for which the claimant contended - 8 out of 10 causes of action restored - REASONS - observations concerning judicial obligation to give reasons. (D)

Defamation Act 1974 LEGISLATION CITED: Migration Act 1958 (Cth) Supreme Court Act 1970 Supreme Court Rules 1970

Adam P Brown Male Fashions Pty Limited v Philip Morris Incorporated & Anor [1981] HCA 39; (1981) 148 CLR 170 Amalgamated Television Services Pty Limited v Marsden (1998) 43 NSWLR 158 Bik v Mirror Newspapers Ltd [1979] 2 NSWLR 679 Brittingham v Williams [1932] VLR 237 Chalmers v Payne (1835) 2 Cr M & R 156 at 159; 150 ER 67 Drummoyne Municipal Council v Australian Broadcasting Corporation (1990) 21 NSWLR 135 Favell & Anor v Queensland Newspapers Pty Ltd [2004] QCA 135 Favell v Queensland Newspapers Pty Ltd [2005] HCA 52; (2005) 79 ALJR 1716 Feros v West Sydney Radio Pty Ltd (Court of Appeal, 22 June 1982, unreported) Greek Herald Pty Ltd v Nikolopoulos (2002) 54 NSWLR 165 Griffith v John Fairfax Publications [2004] NSWCA 300 Harvey v John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd [2005] NSWCA 255 CASES CITED: In re the Will of F B Gilbert (deceased) (1946) 46 SR (NSW) 318 John Fairfax and Sons Ltd v Foord (1988) 12 NSWLR 706 John Fairfax Publications Pty Limited v Rivkin [2003] HCA 50; (2003) 77 ALJR 1657 Jones v Skelton [1963] SR (NSW) 644 Lewis v Daily Telegraph Ltd [1964] AC 234 Lloyd v David Syme & Co Ltd (1985) 3 NSWLR 728 Mirror Newspapers Limited v Harrison [1982] HCA 50; (1982) 149 CLR 293 Monte v Mirror Newspapers Ltd [1979] 2 NSWLR 663 North Sydney Council v Lygon (1995) 87 LGERA 435 Pettitt v Dunkley [1971] 1 NSWLR 376 Saunders v Nationwide News Pty Ltd [2005] NSWCA 404 Soulemezis v Dudley (Holdings) Pty Limited (1987) 10 NSWLR 247 TCN Channel 9 Pty Ltd v Antoniadis (1998) 44 NSWLR 682 Weiss v The Queen [2005] HCA 81