Ali v Nationwide News Pty Ltd [2008] NSWCA 183

Appeal Outcome: Special leave application dismissed with costs 13 February 2009 (S401/2008)

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION: Ali v Nationwide News Pty Ltd [2008] NSWCA 183

HEARING DATE(S): 5 June 2008

JUDGMENT DATE: 8 August 2008

JUDGMENT OF: Tobias JA at 1; McColl JA at 1; Basten JA at 140

DECISION: (a) Appeal allowed. (b) Set aside the judgment and verdict of James J dated 20 December 2007 awarding the appellant damages in the sum of $125,000. (c) Set aside Orders 1 and 2 of the Consent Orders entered on 3 March 2008. (d) Verdict and judgment for the appellant in the sum of $275,000. (e) Award interest on the judgment sum from 11 June 2003 up to and including 8 August 2008. (f) The respondent to pay the appellant's costs of the appeal. (g) Liberty to the parties to file consent orders to give effect to order (e). (h) Liberty to apply to McColl JA within 14 days of the date of these orders in the event of any dispute as to the quantum of interest to be paid in accordance with order (e).

CATCHWORDS: DEFAMATION – damages – whether manifestly inadequate – assessment of damages – compensatory damages – gravity of imputations – importance of injured feelings - DEFAMATION – assessment of damages – aggravated damages for failure to apologise where no apology solicited by plaintiff - PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – appeal – grounds of appeal – scope of review of primary judge's decision – whether Court should interfere with primary judge's findings on evidence - STATUTES – s 46A Defamation Act 1974

Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth) LEGISLATION CITED: Civil Liability Act 2002 Defamation Act 1974 Migration Act 1958 (Cth)

CATEGORY: Principal judgment

Ali v Nationwide News Pty Ltd [2007] NSWSC 58 Allied Pastoral Holdings Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation [1983] 1 NSWLR 1 Bashford v Information Australia [2000] NSWSC 665 Beale v Government Insurance Office of NSW (1997) 48 NSWLR 430 Bickel v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd [1981] 2 NSWLR 474 Browne v Dunn (1894) 6 R 67 Carlson v King (1947) 64 WN(NSW) 65 Carson v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd [1993] HCA 31; (1993) 178 CLR 44 Cassell & Co Ltd v Broome [1972] AC 1027 Clark v Ainsworth (1996) 40 NSWLR 463 Coyne v Citizen Finance Ltd [1991] HCA 10; (1991) 172 CLR 211 Crampton v Nugawela (1996) 41 NSWLR 176 Cross v Queensland Newspapers Pty Ltd [2008] NSWCA 80 Dearman v Dearman [1908] HCA 84; 7 CLR 549 Dingle v Associated Newspapers Ltd [1964] AC 371 Ex parte Reid; Re Lynch (1943) 43 SR(NSW) 207 Fleming v The Queen [1998] HCA 68; 197 CLR 250 Fox v Percy [2003] HCA 22; 214 CLR 118 Herald & Weekly Times Ltd v McGregor [1928] HCA 36; (1928) 41 CLR 254 HSH Hotels (Australia) Ltd v Multiplex Constructions Pty Ltd [2004] NSWCA 302; (2005) 21 BCL 454 Humphries v TWT Ltd (1993) 113 FLR 402 John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd v O'Shane (No 2) [2005] NSWCA 291 Jones v Dunkel [1959] HCA 8; (1959) 101 CLR 298 CASES CITED: Ley v Hamilton (1935) 153 LT 384 M & E M Holt Pty Ltd v Thompson [2001] NSWCA 359 McDonald v Coles Myer Ltd (t/as K-Mart Chatswood) (1995) Aust Torts Reports 81-361 Mifsud v Campbell (1991) 21 NSWLR 725 Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs v Yusuf [2001] HCA 30; 206 CLR 323 Mirror Newspapers Ltd v Fitzpatrick [1984] 1 NSWLR 643 Moit v Bristow [2005] NSWCA 322 Pettit v Dunkley [1971] 1 NSWLR 376 Precision Plastics Pty Ltd v Demir [1975] HCA 27; (1975) 132 CLR 362 Public Service Board of New South Wales v Osmond [1986] HCA 7; 159 CLR 656 Roberts v Bass [2002] HCA 57; (2002) 212 CLR 1 Rogers v Nationwide News Pty Ltd [2003] HCA 52; (2003) 216 CLR 327 Roy Morgan Research Centre Pty Ltd v Commissioner of State Revenue (Vic) [2001] HCA 49; 207 CLR 72 Shellharbour City Council v Rigby [2006] NSWCA 308; 150 LGERA 11 Smiths Newspapers Ltd v Becker [1932] HCA 39; (1932) 47 CLR 279 Soulemezis v Dudley (Holdings) Pty Ltd (1987) 10 NSWLR 247 State Rail Authority of New South Wales v Brown [2006] NSWCA 220; 66 NSWLR 540 Stoker v Adecco Gemvale Constructions Pty Ltd [2004] NSWCA 449 Triggell v Pheeney [1951] HCA 23; (1951) 82 CLR 497 Uren v John Fairfax & Sons Pty Ltd [1966] HCA 40; (1966) 117 CLR 118 Waterhouse v Broadcasting Station 2GB Pty Ltd (1985) 1 NSWLR 58 Waterways Authority v Fitzgibbon [2005] HCA 57; 79 ALJR 1816 Wiki v Atlantis Relocations (NSW) Pty Ltd [2004] NSWCA 174; 60 NSWLR 127 Young v Cesta-Incani [2007] NSWCA 229