Farrow v Nationwide News Pty Ltd [2017] NSWDC 28

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Farrow v Nationwide News Pty Ltd [2017] NSWDC 28 Hearing dates: 23 February 2017 Date of orders: 27 February 2017 Decision date: 27 February 2017 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Gibson DCJ Decision: (1) Pursuant to ss 4 and 7 Felons (Civil Proceedings) Act 1981 (NSW) the defendant is granted leave to appear. (2) Plaintiff's notice of motion filed on 2 February 2017 dismissed. (3) Plaintiff's statement of claim struck out and dismissed. (4) Costs reserved, with liberty to apply on 2 March 2017 in the Defamation List. Catchwords: PRISONERS – civil proceedings – prisoner seeks leave to commence proceedings under the Felons (Civil Proceedings) Act 1981 (NSW) – scheme of legislation – whether proposed claims are not an abuse of process and there is a prima facie ground for proceedings – proceedings an abuse of process and without a prima facie ground – alternative findings in relation to proportionality – proceedings dismissed Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), ss 56 and 60 Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth), s 307.2 Defamation Act 2005 (NSW), ss 25, 26 and 42 Felons (Civil Proceedings) Act 1981 (NSW), ss 4, 5 and 7 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 14.30 Cases Cited: Clark v State of New South Wales [2016] NSWSC 808 Dugan v Mirror Newspapers Ltd (1979) 22 ALR 439 Georgiou v Commissioner for Corrective Services NSW [2016] NSWSC 1337 Ghosh v Ninemsn Pty Ltd [2015] NSWCA 334 Patsalis v State of New South Wales [2011] NSWCA 364 Potier v Attorney General (NSW) [2015] NSWCA 129 Potier v Director-General, Dept of Justice and Attorney General [2011] NSWCA 105 R v Beydoun (1990) 22 NSWLR 256 Re Application of Potier [2012] NSWCA 222 State of New South Wales v Maxwell [2007] NSWCA 53 Toben v Nationwide News Pty Ltd (2016) 338 ALR 329 Vorhauer v NSW Minister for Health & Anor [2005] NSWSC 797 Texts Cited: J Donnelly, "Judicial Review for the Convicted Felon in Australia" (2012) 16 University of Western Sydney Law Review 137 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Plaintiff: Simone Farrow Defendant: Nationwide News Pty Ltd Representation: Counsel: Plaintiff: Mr R Rasmussen Defendant: Ms L Mullins (solicitor)