M v Public Guardian [2017] NSWDC 253

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: M v Public Guardian [2017] NSWDC 253 Hearing dates: 24 August 2017 Date of orders: 24 August 2017 Decision date: 14 September 2017 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Gibson DCJ Decision: (1) Pursuant to r 12.1 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), grant leave to the plaintiff to discontinue these proceedings upon the following conditions: (a) The plaintiff is to pay the defendant's costs of these proceedings (including this application), which are assessed on a gross sum costs order basis, of $8,000. (b) The plaintiff is precluded from bringing any further proceedings for defamation or actions for similar reputation based relief based upon the publications identified in the statement of claim as actionable. Catchwords: TORT – defamation – application for leave to discontinue – whether discontinuance should be permitted on terms – costs – application for gross sum costs order Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), ss 60, 61 and 98 Defamation Act 2005 (NSW), s 23 Guardianship Act 1987 (NSW) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 12.1 Cases Cited: Aquaqueen International Pty Limited [2015] NSWSC 500 Bobb v Wombat Securities Pty Ltd [2013] NSWSC 863 Cummins v Australian Jockey Club Ltd [2009] NSWSC 254 Dow Jones & Co Inc v Jameel [2005] EWCA Civ 75; [2005] QB 46 Emmerton v University of Sydney [1970] 2 NSWR 633 Fox v Star Newspaper Co Ltd [1898] 1 QB 636; [1900] AC 19 Ghosh v Miller [2016] NSWSC 430 Ghosh v Miller (No 2) [2017] NSWSC 791 Ghosh v Miller (No 4) [2016] NSWSC 1710 Ghosh v NBN Ltd and Ors [2014] QCA 53 Ghosh v Nine Digital Pty Ltd [2017] NSWCA 90 Ghosh v Ninemsn Pty Ltd [2015] NSWCA 334 Harrison v Schipp (2002) 54 NSWLR 738 Packer v Meagher [1984] 3 NSWLR 486 Pingel v Toowoomba Newspapers Pty Ltd [2010] QCA 175 Plassas v Person (No 2) [2016] NSWSC 1515 Re Palladium Consulting Pty Ltd [2013] NSWSC 92 Starr-Diamond v Diamond (No 4) [2013] NSWSC 811 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Plaintiff: M Defendant: Public Guardian Representation: Counsel: Plaintiff: Mr J P Capsanis (solicitor) Defendant: Mr B P Watts (solicitor)