Enders v Erbas & Associates Pty Limited [2014] NSWCA 70

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Enders v Erbas & Associates Pty Limited [2014] NSWCA 70 Hearing dates: 17 February 2014 Decision date: 19 March 2014 Before: Ward JA at [1] Leeming JA at [2] Tobias AJA at [7] Decision: (1) Leave to appeal granted. (2) The applicant to file her Notice of Appeal within seven days of the date of these orders. (3) Appeal dismissed. (4) The applicant to pay the respondent's costs of the appeal. [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: DEFAMATION - defences - common law qualified privilege - whether primary judge erred in not making a finding of malice - knowledge of falsity of imputations where the defendant does not intend the convey the imputations

DEFAMATION - defences - statutory qualified privilege - application of s 30(3)(h) of Defamation Act 2005 - whether reasonable in the circumstances not to have sought a response from the plaintiff - whether it may be reasonable to seek a response after publication of defamatory matter

DEFAMATION - defences - defence of triviality - whether the primary judge applied the wrong test - whether "any harm" includes hurt feelings Legislation Cited: Defamation Act 1974 (NSW) Defamation Act 2005 (NSW) Cases Cited: Barbaro v Amalgamated Television Services Pty Ltd (1985) 1 NSWLR 30 Bashford v Information Australia (Newsletters) Pty Ltd [2004] HCA 5; (2004) 218 CLR 366 Bray v Deutsche Bank AG [2008] EWHC 1263 (QB) Bristow v Adams [2012] NSWCA 166 Enders v Erbas & Associates Pty Limited (No. 2) [2013] NSWDC 44 Fraser v Mirza [1993] S.C. 27 Horrocks v Lowe [1975] A.C. 135 Jones v Sutton [2004] NSWCA 439; (2004) 61 NSWLR 614 Kuru v State of New South Wales [2008] HCA 26; (2008) 236 CLR 1 Lange v Australian Broadcasting Corporation (1997) 189 CLR 520 Loveless v Earl [1999] E.M.L.R 530 LVMH Watch & Jewellery Australia Pty Limited v Lassanah [2011] NSWCA 370 Marshall v Megna [2013] NSWCA 30 Morosi v Mirror Newspapers Limited [1977] 2 NSWLR 749 at 799 Papaconstuntinos v Holmes à Court [2009] NSWSC 903 Roberts v Bass [2002] HCA 57; (2002) 212 CLR 1 Szanto v Melville [2011] VSC 574 Texts Cited: Gatley on Libel and Slander (12th ed 2013, Sweet & Maxwell) Price, Duodu and Cain, Defamation Law, Procedure and Practice (4th ed 2010, Sweet & Maxwell) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Sylvia Enders (Applicant) Erbas & Associates Pty Ltd (First Respondent) Ken Gurcan Erbas (Second Respondent) Representation: Counsel: C Evatt / R Rasmussen (Applicant) M G McHugh SC / G R Rubagotti (Respondents) Solicitors: Friend & Co Lawyers (Applicant) Neville & Hourn Legal (Respondents) File Number(s): 2013/141073 Decision under appeal Jurisdiction: 9101 Citation: Enders v Erbas & Associates Pty Ltd (No. 2) [2013] NSWDC 44 Date of Decision: 2013-04-19 00:00:00 Before: Gibson DCJ File Number(s): 2011/214416