Fairfax Digital Australia & New Zealand Pty Ltd v Kazal [2018] NSWCA 77

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Fairfax Digital Australia & New Zealand Pty Ltd v Kazal [2018] NSWCA 77 Hearing dates: 11 September 2017 Decision date: 17 April 2018 Before: McColl JA at [1] Meagher JA at [35] Gleeson JA at [48] Decision: (1) Grant leave to appeal.

(2) Direct the appellants to file and serve a notice of appeal in accordance with the draft notice of appeal contained in the White Book within 7 days.

(3) Appeal dismissed.

(4) The appellants to pay the respondent's costs of the appeal. Catchwords: DEFAMATION – defence – contextual truth – Defamation Act 2005 (NSW), s 26 – where defendants pleaded reliance upon plaintiff's imputations as contextual imputations contingent upon tribunal of fact finding the plaintiff's imputation to be substantially true – where contingent pleading back struck out – whether contingent pleading of contextual truth defence permissible – whether the imputations which meet the meaning of defamatory imputations in s 26(a) can change at trial

DEFAMATION – defence – particulars of mitigation of damages – whether reputation particulars were directly relevant background context – where particulars also relied upon for defence of honest opinion – where particulars struck out – whether particulars lack precision and are inadequate Legislation Cited: Civil Law (Wrongs) Act 2002 (ACT) Defamation Act 1974 (NSW), s 9(2), 16 Defamation Act 2005 (NSW), ss 4, 6, 8, 22, 25, 26, 38 Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW) Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 101(2)(e) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 14.28, 14.31, 14.33, 28.2 Cases Cited: Abou-Lokmeh v Harbour Radio Pty Ltd [2016] NSWCA 228 Alcan (NT) Alumina Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Territory Revenue (NT) (2009) 239 CLR 27; [2009] HCA 41 Associated Newspapers Ltd v Dingle [1964] AC 371 Australian Broadcasting Corporation v McBride (2001) 53 NSWLR 430; [2001] NSWCA 322 Australian Securities Commission v Marlborough Gold Mines Ltd (1993) 177 CLR 485; [1993] HCA 15 Banque Commerciale SA (En liqn) v Akhil Holdings Ltd (1990) 169 CLR 279; [1990] HCA 11 Barrow v Bolt & Anor [2013] VSC 226 Born Brands Pty Ltd v Nine Network Australia Pty Ltd (2014) 88 NSWLR 421; [2014] NSWCA 36 Burstein v Times Newspapers Limited [2001] 1 WLR 579 Channel Seven Sydney Pty Ltd v Mahommed (2010) 278 ALR 232; [2010] NSWCA 335 Chase v Newsgroup Newspapers Ltd [2002] EWCA Civ 1772 Chel v Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd (No 6) [2017] NSWSC 230 Cohen v Mirror Newspapers Ltd [1971] 1 NSWLR 623 Commissioner for Railways (NSW) v Aglianos (1955) 92 CLR 390 Commissioner of Taxation v Unit Trend Services Pty Ltd (2013) 250 CLR 523; [2013] HCA 16 Coxon v Wilson [2016] WASCA 48 Crosby v Kelly [2013] FCA 1343 Dank v Cronulla Sutherland District Rugby League Football Club Ltd [2014] NSWCA 288 Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd v Kermode (2011) 81 NSWLR 157; [2011] NSWCA 174 Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd v Zeccola (2015) 91 NSWLR 314; [2015] NSWCA 329 Federal Commissioner of Taxation v Consolidated Media Holdings Ltd (2012) 250 CLR 503; [2012] HCA 55 Firebird Global Masterfund II Ltd v Republic of Nauru (2016) 258 CLR 31; [2015] HCA 43 General Steel Industries Inc v Commissioner for Railways of New South Wales (1964) 112 CLR 125; [1964] HCA 69 General Steel Industries Inc v Commissioner for Railways of New South Wales (1964) 112 CLR 125; [1964] HCA 69 Gett v Tabet (2009) 254 ALR 504; [2009] NSWCA 76 Goody v Oldhams Press Ltd [1967] 1 QB 333 Herald & Weekly Times Ltd v Popovic (2003) 9 VR 1; [2003] VSCA 161 Holt v TCN Channel Nine Pty Ltd (2014) 86 NSWLR 96; [2014] NSWCA 90 Howden v "Truth" & "Sportsman" Ltd (No 2) (1938) 38 SR (NSW) 287 Howden v "Truth" & "Sportsman" Ltd (1937) 58 CLR 416 John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd v Blake (2001) 53 NSWLR 541; [2001] NSWCA 434 John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd v Zunter [2006] NSWCA 227 Jones v Pollard [1997] ENLR 233 McMahon v John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd (No 3) [2012] NSWSC 196 McPherson v Daniels (1829) 10 B & C 263; 109 ER 448 Mizikovsky v Queensland Television Ltd (No 3) [2011] QSC 375 Mizikovsky v Queensland Television Ltd [2014] 1 Qd R 197; [2013] QCA 68 Nationwide News Pty Ltd v Weatherup [2017] QCA 70 O'Brien v Australian Broadcasting Corporation [2017] NSWCA 338 O'Hagan v Nationwide News Pty Ltd (2001) 53 NSWLR 89; [2001] NSWCA 302 Pamplin v Express Newspapers Ltd [1988] 1 WLR 116 Plato Films Ltd v Speidel [1961] 1 AC 1090 Potts v Moran (1976) 16 SASR 284 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 355; [1998] HCA 28 Ratcliffe v Evans [1892] 2 QB 524 Reynolds v Times Newspapers Ltd [2001] 2 AC 127; [1999] UKHL 45 Roberts v Camden (1807) 9 East 93; 103 ER 508 Rofe v Smiths Newspapers Ltd (1924) 25 SR (NSW) 4 Rose v Allen & Unwin Pty Ltd [2015] NSWSC 991 R v XY (2013) 84 NSWLR 363; [2013] NSWCCA 121 Scott v Samson (1882) 8 QBD 491 Singleton v Ffrench (1986) 5 NSWLR 425 SZTAL v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (2017) 91 ALJR 936; [2017] HCA 34 The Age Co Limited v Elliot (2006) 14 VR 375; [2006] VSCA 168 The Federal Capital Press of Australia Pty Ltd v Balzola [2015] NSWCA 285 Turner v News Group Newspapers Ltd [2006] 1 WLR 3469; [2006] EWCA Civ 540 Wagner & Ors v Harbour Radio Pty Ltd & Ors [2017] QSC 222 Warren v The Random House Group Ltd [2009] QB 600 Whelan v John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd (2002) 56 NSWLR 89; [2002] NSWSC 1028 Texts Cited: Defamation – Discussion Paper [1993] NSWLRCDP 32 Gatley on Libel and Slander (12th ed, 2013, Sweet & Maxwell) New South Wales Legislative Assembly, Parliamentary Debates, (Hansard), 13 September 2005 Spencer Bower, The Law of Actionable Defamation, Butterworth & Co (1923) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Fairfax Digital Australia & New Zealand Pty Ltd (First Appellant) Linton Besser (Second Appellant) Kate McClymont (Third Appellant) Oscar Kazal (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: Mr P Gray SC / Mr MA Polden (Appellants) Mr BR McClintock SC/Ms S Chrysanthou/Mr N Olson (Respondent)