Carolan v Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd (No 6) [2016] NSWSC 1091

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Carolan v Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd (No 6) [2016] NSWSC 1091 Hearing dates: 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29, 30 October 2015 Decision date: 09 August 2016 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: McCallum J Decision: Verdict for the plaintiff; damages assessed in the sum of $300,000. Catchwords: DEFAMATION – publication – where online article included links to related articles – whether able to be relied upon as a single publication

DEFAMATION – defences – justification – honest opinion – consideration of requirement of reasonableness

DEFAMATION – damages – consideration of proper approach to cap on damages for non-economic loss – whether damages aggravated by conduct of trial Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 56 Defamation Act 2005 (NSW), ss 25, 31, 35 Cases Cited: Attrill v Christie [2007] NSWSC 1386 Australian Broadcasting Corporation v Obeid [2006] NSWCA 231; 66 NSWLR 605 Carolan v Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd (No 2) [2015] NSWSC 1010 Carson v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd (1993) 178 CLR 44 Chamberlain v The Queen (No 2) (1984) 154 CLR 521 Channel Seven Adelaide Pty Ltd v Manock [2007] HCA 60; 232 CLR 245 Chel v Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd (No 2) [2015] NSWCA Crampton v Nugawela (1996) 41 NSWLR 176 Cripps v Vakros [2014] VSC 279 Hunt v Star Newspaper Co Ltd [1908] 2KB 309 R v Curtis (No 3) [2016] NSWSC 866 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Sean Carolan (plaintiff) Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd (first defendant) Peter FitzSimons (second defendant) Representation: Counsel: K Smark SC, with S Chrysanthou (Plaintiff) ATS Dawson, with C Amato (Defendants)