Doe v Fairfax Media Publications Pty Limited [2017] NSWSC 1153

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Doe v Fairfax Media Publications Pty Limited [2017] NSWSC 1153 Hearing dates: 18 August 2017 Decision date: 30 August 2017 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Adamson J Decision: See paragraph [58] Catchwords: PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – discovery – objections – privilege against exposure to penalties – self-incrimination – whether evidence may tend to prove person engaged in culpable conduct – proceedings concerning non-publication obligations – whether interests of justice require defendant to provide evidence – operation and effect of s 87 of Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW)

PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – interrogatories – whether necessary – consideration of material already available to plaintiff – whether answers would be relevant

PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – plaintiff was complainant in sexual offence proceedings – non-publication orders pursuant to s 578A of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) made in respect of aspects of plaintiff's evidence at trial – defendants published an article that allegedly identifies or tends to identify the plaintiff – damages sought for breach of alleged statutory duty – breach of confidence and breach of non-publication order Legislation Cited: Children (Criminal Proceedings) Act 1987 (NSW), ss 10, 15A Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), ss 3, 4, 56, 87, Pt 6 Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), s 578A Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW), s 179 Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), ss 128, 128A Supreme Court (General Civil Procedure) Rules 2015 (Vic), rr 1.05, 29.07 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 1.5, 21.2, 21.4, 22.1, Pt 21 Cases Cited: Bax Global (Australia) Pty Ltd v Evans (1999) 47 NSWLR 538; [1999] NSWSC 815 Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union v Boral Resources (Vic) Pty Ltd (2015) 256 CLR 375; [2015] HCA 21 Devine Marine Group Pty Ltd v Fair Work Ombudsman [2013] FCA 442 Fairfax Digital Australia and New Zealand v Ibrahim (2012) 82 NSWLR 52; [2012] NSWCCA 125 Hawkes v Schubach [1953] VLR 468 John Fairfax Publications Pty Limited v District Court of NSW (2004) 61 NSWLR 344; [2004] NSWCA 324 Minister Administering the Crown Lands (Consolidation) Act and Western Lands Act v Tweed Byron Aboriginal Land Council (1990) 71 LGRA 201 O'Connor v SP Bray Ltd (1937) 56 CLR 464 Pelechowski v The Registrar, Court of Appeal (NSW) (1999) 198 CLR 435; [1999] HCA 19 R v Markuleski (2001) 52 NSWLR 82; [2001] NSWCCA 290 R v Simmons (No 6) [2015] NSWSC 418; (2015) A Crim R 65 Reid v Howard (1995) 184 CLR 1; [1995] HCA 40 Rich v Australian Securities and Investments Commission (2004) 220 CLR 129; [2004] HCA 42 Vasil v National Australia Bank Ltd (1999) 46 NSWLR 207; [1999] NSWCA 161 Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: Jane Doe (Plaintiff) Fairfax Media Publications Pty Limited (ACN 003 357 720) (First Defendant) Michael Bachelard (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: KP Smark SC (Plaintiff) PW Gray SC (Defendants)