NSW Caselaw
New South Wales Supreme Court
CITATION : Fawcett v John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd [2008] NSWSC 139
HEARING DATE(S) : 12 November 2007; 13 November 2007; 14 November 2007; 15 November 2007; 16 November 2007; 19 November 2007; 20 November 2007; 21 November 2007; 22 November 2007; 23 November 2007
JUDGMENT DATE : 27 February 2008
JURISDICTION : Common Law
JUDGMENT OF : Simpson J
DECISION : Verdict for the defendants. The plaintiff to pay the costs of the proceedings.
CATCHWORDS : DEFAMATION – imputations found by jury to have been conveyed – defences of justification (truth and public interest), comment and contextual truth (NSW) – PUBLIC INTEREST – imputations relate to matters of public interest – conduct of plaintiff in pursuit of his profession – TRUTH – matters and circumstances that establish the substantial truth of the imputations – COMMENT – whether comment was based upon a proper foundation – interstate defences – defences of justification (truth and public benefit) and principles stated in Hore-Lacy – no evidence provided on relevant legislative provisions for interstate publications – whether Polly Peck or Hore-Lacy defence applies to interstate publications – verdict for the defendants
Civil Law (Wrongs) Act 2002 (ACT) Defamation Act 1889 (Qld) LEGISLATION CITED : Defamation Act 1957 (Tas) Defamation Act 1974 Evidence Act 1995
CATEGORY : Principal judgment
Allworth v John Fairfax Group Pty Ltd (1993) 113 FLR 254 Australian Consolidated Press Ltd v Uren [1966] HCA 37; 117 CLR 185 Bellino v Australian Broadcasting Corporation [1995] HCA 34; 185 CLR 183 Calwell v Ipec Australia Ltd [1973] 1 NSWLR 550 Chakravarti v Advertiser Newspapers Ltd [1998] HCA 37; 193 CLR 519 David Syme & Co Ltd v Hore-Lacy [2000] VSCA 24 Green v Schneller [2000] NSWSC 548 John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd v Blake [2001] NSWCA 434; 53 NSWLR 541 CASES CITED : John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd v Hitchcock [2007] NSWCA 364 John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd v O'Shane [2005] NSWCA 164 John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd v Zunter [2006] NSWCA 227 Jones v John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd [2005] NSWSC 1133 London Artists Ltd v Littler; Grade Organisation Ltd v Littler [1969] 2 QB 375 Polly Peck (Holdings) plc v Trelford [1986] 1 QB 1000 Radio 2UE Sydney Pty Ltd v Parker (1992) 29 NSWLR 448 Robinson v Laws [2001] QCA 122 Zunter v John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd [2005] NSWSC 759
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