Habib v Radio 2UE Sydney Pty Ltd & Anor (No 4) [2012] NSWDC 12

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Habib v Radio 2UE Sydney Pty Ltd & Anor (No 4) [2012] NSWDC 12 Hearing dates: 17, 18, 19 October, 23 November 2011 Decision date: 24 February 2012 Before: Levy SC DCJ Decision: See orders at paragraphs [440] to [444]. [Note: The Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 provide (Rule 36.11) that unless the Court otherwise orders, a judgment or order is taken to be entered when it is recorded in the Court's computerised court record system. Setting aside and variation of judgments or orders is dealt with by Rules 36.15, 36.16, 36.17 and 36.18. Parties should in particular note the time limit of fourteen days in Rule 36.16.] Catchwords: TORTS - defamation - trial following jury verdict pursuant to s 7A of Defamation Act 1974 - radio broadcasts - whether defences of truth, contextual truth and comment established; DAMAGES - assessment of compensatory and aggravated damages Legislation Cited: Defamation Act 1974, s 7A Evidence Act 1995, s 60 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005, r 31.23(1), Sch 7 Cases Cited: Bellino v Australian Broadcasting Corporation [1996] HCA 47; (1996) 185 CLR 183 Branson v Bower [2001] EMLR 32 Briginshaw v Briginshaw [1938] HCA 34; (1938) 60 CLR 336 Broome v Cassell & Co Ltd [1972] AC 1027 Carson v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd [1993] HC 31; (1993) 178 CLR 44 Cheng & Anor v Tse Wai Chun [2000] 3 HKLRD 418 Clark v Ainsworth (1996) 40 NSWLR 463 Clarke v Norton [1910] VLR 494 Daw v Toyworld (NSW) Pty Ltd [2001] NSWCA 25 Edwards v Bell (1824) 1 Bing 403 Goodrich Aerospace Pty Limited v Arsic (2006) NSWCA 187 Habib v Radio 2UE Pty Limited [2008] NSWDC 59 Habib v Radio 2UE Pty Limited [2009] NSWCA 231 Harbour Radio Pty Ltd v John Tingle [2001] NSWCA 194 Hepburn v TCN Channel Nine Pty Limited [1984] 1 NSWLR 386 Jackson v John Fairfax & Sons Pty Ltd [1981] 1 NSWLR 36 John Fairfax & Sons Pty Ltd v Jones [2004] NSWCA 205 John Fairfax & Sons Pty Ltd v O'Shane [2005] NSWCA 164 Keays v Guardian Newspapers Ltd & Ors [2003] EWHC 1565 Marsland v Andjelic (No 2) (1993) 32 NSWLR 649 Mason v Demasi [2009] NSWCA 227 McQuire v Western Morning News [1903] 2 KB 100 NSW Aboriginal Land Council v Perkins (1998) 45 NSWLR 340 Scott v Sampson (1882) 8 QBD 491 Silken v Beaverbrook [1958] 1 WLR 743 Turcu v News Group Newspapers Limited [2005] EWHC 799 Triggell v Pheeney [1951] HCA 23; (1951) 82 CLR 497 Turner v MGM Pictures Ltd [1950] 1 AllER 449 Whalan v Kogarah Municipal Council [2007] NSWCA 5 Texts Cited: Gatley on Libel and Slander, 10th ed Category: Principal judgment Parties: Mamdouh Habib (Plaintiff) Radio 2UE Sydney Pty Ltd (First defendant) Macquarie Radio Network Pty Ltd (Second defendant) Representation: Mr CA Evatt with Mr R Rasmussen (Plaintiff) Mr BR McClintock SC with Ms G Rubagotti (Defendants) Demir Legal (Plaintiff) Banki Haddock Fiora (Defendants) File Number(s): 2006/294377