Ashworth aka Otto v Nine Network Australia Pty Ltd (ACN 008 685 407); Otto (aka Ashworth) v Gold Coast Publications Pty Limited; Otto v Dailymail.com Australia Pty Ltd (No. 3) [2019] NSWDC 449

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Ashworth aka Otto v Nine Network Australia Pty Ltd (ACN 008 685 407); Otto (aka Ashworth) v Gold Coast Publications Pty Limited; Otto v Dailymail.com Australia Pty Ltd (No. 3) [2019] NSWDC 449 Hearing dates: 20 June 2019; 8 August 2019 Date of orders: 08 August 2019 Decision date: 30 August 2019 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Gibson DCJ Decision: (1) Vary order (4) of my orders dated 16 May 2019 to provide that the costs order made in the defendants' favour for these proceedings is payable on an indemnity basis. (2) The notice to produce served upon the plaintiff on 28 June 2019 be set aside. (3) The subpoena issued to Sharon Lindsey on 28 June 2019 be set aside. (4) The court notes that given the court does not have power to continue orders 5, 6 and 7 made on 20 December 2018 they will have no force upon the conclusion of these proceedings. Catchwords: COSTS – defendants' application for indemnity costs – lengthy defamation proceedings result in judgment for the defendants on all issues – whether proceedings an abuse of process – plaintiff fails to reply to six offers made by the defendants – indemnity costs awarded for the whole of proceedings PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – orders for protection of witnesses made shortly before the trial pursuant to s 46 District Court Act 1973 (NSW) after threats made to them – plaintiff seeks discharge after judgment – orders unable to be maintained after judgment handed down Legislation Cited: Civil Law (Wrongs) Act 2002 (ACT), s 139K Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 98 Defamation Act 2005 (NSW), s 40 Defamation Act 2005 (Qld), s 40 Defamation Act 2005 (SA), s 38 Defamation Act 2005 (Tas), s 40 Defamation Act 2005 (Vic), s 40 Defamation Act 2005 (WA), s 40 Defamation Act 2006 (NT), s 37 District Court Act 1973 (NSW), ss 46 and 134 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 20.26 and 42.1 Cases Cited: Ashworth aka Otto v Nine Network Australia Pty Ltd (ACN 008 685 407); Otto (aka Ashworth) v Gold Coast Publications Pty Limited; Otto v Dailymail.com Australia Pty Ltd (No. 2) [2019] NSWDC 188 Attorney-General v Butterworth [1962] 3 All ER 326 Australian Guarantee Corp Ltd v De Jager [1984] VR 483 Barnes v Forty Two International Pty Limited (No 2) [2015] FCAFC 19 Black v Lipovac (1998) 217 ALR 386; [1998] FCA 699 Calderbank v Calderbank [1975] 3 All ER 333 Chaina v Alvaro Homes Pty Ltd [2008] NSWCA 353 Degmam Pty Ltd (in liq) v Wright (No 2) [1983] 2 NSWLR 354 Fountain Selected Meats (Sales) Pty Ltd v International Produce Merchants Ltd (1988) 81 ALR 397 Hazeldene's Chicken Farm Pty Ltd v Victorian WorkCover Authority (No 2) [2005] VSCA 298 Hyndes v Nationwide News Pty Ltd; Nationwide News Pty Ltd v Hyndes [2012] NSWCA 349 In the matter of Indoor Climate Technologies Pty Ltd [2019] NSWSC 356 James v Douglas [2016] NSWCA 178 Jones v Sutton (No 2) [2005] NSWCA 203 Linjing Fang v Xiaodan Sun & Ors (No. 2) [2014] NSWSC 1194 Mareva Compania Naviera SA v International Bulkcarriers SA [1980] 1 All ER 213 Nationwide News Pty Ltd v Weatherup [2017] QCA 70 NMFM Property Pty Ltd v Citibank Ltd (No 11) [2001] FCA 480 Oshlack v Richmond River Council (1998) 193 CLR 72 Otto (a.k.a. Ashworth) v Gold Coast Publications Pty Ltd [2017] NSWDC 101 Pelechowski v Registrar, Court of Appeal (1999) 198 CLR 435 Tabbaa v Nine Network Australia Pty Ltd [2019] NSWCA 69 Tabbaa v Nine Network Pty Ltd (No.11) [2018] NSWSC 389 United Telecasters Sydney Ltd v Hardy (1991) 23 NSWLR 323 Wentworth v Rogers [1999] NSWCA 403 White ACT (in liquidation) v G B White & Ors [2004] NSWSC 303 Texts Cited: Kaufman, A. L., "Cardozo", Cambridge, Harvard University Press, 2000, Vol 16, 91 The Hon. David Hunt, AO, "The International Criminal Court - High Hopes, Creative Ambiguity and an Unfortunate Mistrust in International Judges" (2004) 2:1 Journal of International Criminal Justice 56 New South Wales, Hansard, Legislative Assembly, 12 October 2005, p 18518 (Mr Barr MLA) Category: Costs Parties: Plaintiff in proceedings 2016/221796: David Ashworth aka David Otto Defendant in proceedings 2016/221796: Nine Network Australia Pty Ltd (ACN 008 685 407)