Habib v Radio 2UE Sydney Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 231

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Habib v Radio 2UE Sydney Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 231 Hearing dates: 20 February 2009 Decision date: 31 July 2009 Before: Giles JA at 1; McColl JA at 3; Campbell JA at 214 Decision: Proceedings CA 40244/08

1. Direct that the time to file the summons for leave to appeal be extended to 13 August 2008.

2. Grant leave to appeal.

3. Direct that the draft notice of appeal in the White Book stand as the notice of appeal in proceedings CA 40113/08

Proceedings CA 40113/08

1. Appeal allowed.

2. Set aside the order made on 16 April 2008 striking out and dismissing the District Court proceedings.

3. Dismiss the respondents' Notice of Motion dated 16 August 2006.

4. Respondents to pay the appellant's costs of the hearing of the respondents' Notice of Motion dated 16 August 2006.

5. Respondents to pay the appellant's costs of the application for leave to appeal and of the appeal. Catchwords: DEFAMATION – publication – republication – nature of liability for republication – whether plaintiff's claim against newspaper publisher in respect of radio broadcasts characterised as direct publication or republication as damages claim - ESTOPPEL – abuse of process – unsuccessful s 7A Supreme Court trial in respect of newspaper article – pleadings alleged defendant "caused to be published" three radio broadcasts referring to article – whether an abuse of process for plaintiff to commence separate defamation proceedings in the District Court in respect of radio broadcasts – whether plaintiff seeking in District Court proceedings to re-litigate issue lost in unsuccessful s 7A proceedings – whether plaintiff should have sued owners of radio stations in Supreme Court proceedings – whether success in District Court proceedings would lead to conflicting judgments - PROCEDURE – judgments and orders – effect of judgments – consent judgment entered in favour of defendant in earlier proceedings – defendants in later proceedings not parties to or privies in respect of earlier proceedings – whether consent judgment operates as Anshun estoppel to bar later proceedings - PROCEDURE – abuse of process – whether proceedings abuse of process by application of principles for efficient disposition of litigation in Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), ss 56 – 59 and Defamation Act 1974 (NSW), s 3(d) - PROCEDURE – abuse of process – whether proceedings oppressive where statutory right to seek contribution potentially prejudiced Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) Defamation (Amendment) Act 1994 (NSW) Defamation Amendment Act 2002 (NSW) Defamation Act 1974 (NSW) Defamation Act 2005 (NSW) District Court Act 1973 (NSW) Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1946 (NSW) Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW) Workers' Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 1981 (WA) Judicature Act (UK) Supreme Court Rules 1970 (NSW) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) Civil Procedure Rules (UK) Cases Cited: AON Risk Services Australia Ltd v Australian National University [2009] HCAB 5 Abigroup Contractors Pty Ltd v ABB Service Pty Ltd (formerly ABB Engineering Construction Pty Ltd) [2004] NSWCA 181 Ainsworth v Burden [2003] NSWCA 90; (2003) 56 NSWLR 620 Batistatos v Roads and Traffic Authority of New South Wales; Batistatos v Newcastle City Council [2006] HCA 27; (2006) 226 CLR 256 Baxter v Obacelo Pty Ltd [2001] HCA 66; (2001) 205 CLR 635 Bazos and Anor v Doman and Ors [2001] NSWCA 347 Blair v Curran [1939] HCA 23; (1939) 62 CLR 464 Brisbane City Council v Attorney-General (Qld) [1979] AC 411 Broxton v McClelland and Another [1995] EMLR 485 Bryant v Commonwealth Bank of Australia (1995) 57 FCR 287 Burtonshaw v BBC (1978) NLJ 483 Carl Zeiss Stiftung v Rayner & Keeler Ltd (No 2) [1967] 1 AC 853 Chakravarti v Advertiser Newspapers Ltd [1998] HCA 37; (1988) 193 CLR 519 Chamberlain v Deputy Commissioner of Taxation (ACT) [1988] HCA 21; (1988) 164 CLR 502 Cleary v Jeans [2006] NSWCA 9; (2006) 65 NSWLR 355 Commonwealth v Verwayen [1990] HCA 39; (1990) 170 CLR 394 Coulton v Holcombe [1986] HCA 33; (1986) 162 CLR 1 Cutler v McPhail [1962] 2 QB 292 David Syme & Co Ltd v Grey (1992) 38 FCR 303 David Syme & Co Ltd v Hore-Lacy [2000] VSCA 24; (2000) 1 VR 667 Dennis v Australian Broadcasting Corporation [2008] NSWCA 37 Dow Jones & Co Inc v Jameel [2005] EWCA Civ 75; [2005] QB 946 Dow Jones v Gutnick [2002] HCA 56; (2002) 210 CLR 575 Emmens v Pottle (1885) 16 QBD 354 Gill, Herron and Gardiner v Walton (1991) 25 NSWLR 190 Goldsmith v Sperrings [1977] 1 WLR 478 Gordon v Amalgamated Television Services Pty Ltd [1980] 2 NSWLR 410 Gorton v Australian Broadcasting Commission (1973) 22 FLR 181 Griffith v Australian Broadcasting Corporation [2003] NSWSC 298 Habib v Nationwide News Pty Ltd [2007] HCATrans 802 Habib v Nationwide News Pty Ltd [2007] NSWCA 91 Habib v Radio 2UE Pty Ltd [2008] NSWDC 59 Haines v Australian Broadcasting Corporation (1995) 43 NSWLR 404 Harding v Bourke [2000] NSWCA 60; (2000) 48 NSWLR 598 Harris v 718932 Pty Ltd [2000] NSWSC 784 Harris v 718932 Pty Ltd [2003] NSWCA 38; (2003) 56 NSWLR 276 Harvey v John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd [2005] NSWCA 255 Henderson v Henderson (1843) 3 Hare 100; [1843-60] ER 313 Howe & Co v Burden [2004] EWHC 196 (QB) Isaacs v Ocean Accident and Guarantee Corporation Ltd (1957) 58 SR (NSW) 69 Jackson v Goldsmith [1950] HCA 22; (1950) 81 CLR 446 James Hardie and Co v Seltsam Pty Ltd [1998] HCA 78; 196 CLR 53 Jamieson & Brugmans v R [1993] HCA 48; (1993) 177 CLR 574 John Fairfax Publications Pty Limited v Obeid [2005] NSWCA 60; (2005) 64 NSWLR 485 John Fairfax Publications Pty Limited v Rivkin [2003] HCA 50; (2003) 77 ALJR 1657 John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd v Gacic [2007] HCA 28; (2007) 230 CLR 291 Johnson v Gore Wood & Co (a firm) [2000] UKHL 65; [2002] 2 AC 1 Kuligowski v MetroBus [2004] HCA 34; 220 CLR 363 Land Enviro Corp Pty Ltd v HTT Huntley Heritage Pty Ltd [2008] NSWSC 185; (2008) 72 NSWLR 160 Lange v Australian Broadcasting Corp (Supreme Court of New South Wales, Levine J, 6 September 1996, unreported, BC9604439) Ling v Commonwealth (1996) 68 FCR 180 Mahony v J Kruschich (Demolitions) Pty Ltd [1985] HCA 37; (1985) 156 CLR 522 Maple v David Syme [1975] 1 NSWLR 97 McHenry v Lewis (1883) 22 Ch 397 McManus v Beckham [2002] 4 All ER 497; [2002] 1 WLR 2982 Meckiff v Simpson [1968] VR 62 Moore & Ors v Inglis (1976) 50 ALJR 589 (at 593) Nationwide News P/L v Heggie [2001] NSWCA 257 North West Water Ltd v Binnie & Partners [1990] 3 All ER 547 Oceanic Sun Line Special Shipping Co Inc v Fay [1988] HCA 32; (1988) 165 CLR 197 PNJ v R [2009] HCA 6; (2009) 83 ALJR 384 Port of Melbourne Authority v Anshun [1981] HCA 45; (1981) 147 CLR 589 R v Carroll [2002] HCA 55; (2002) 213 CLR 635 R v Edwards [2009] HCA 20; (2009) 83 ALJR 717 R v Humphrys [1977] AC 1 R v O'Halloran (2000) 159 FLR 260 Ramsay v Pigram [1968] HCA 34; (1968) 118 CLR 271 Ratcliffe v Evans [1892] 2 QB 524 Re Luck [2003] HCA 70; (2003) 78 ALJR 177 Re Thomas Christy Ltd (in liq) [1994] 2 BCLC 527 Reichel v Magrath (1889) 14 App Cas 665 Rippon v Chilcotin Pty Ltd [2001] NSWCA 142; (2001) 53 NSWLR 198 Rogers v R [1994] HCA 42; (1994) 181 CLR 251 Schellenberg v BBC [2000] EMLR 296. Sims v Wran [1984] 1 NSWLR 317 Smith v Streatfeild [1913] 3 KB 764 South Australian Housing Trust v State Government Insurance Commission (1989) 51 SASR 1 Spalla v St George Finance Ltd (No 6) [2004] FCA 1699 Speight v Gosnay (1891) 60 LJQB 231 State Bank of NSW Ltd v Stenhouse Ltd (1997) Aust Tort Rep 81-423 State of Queensland v JL Holdings Pty Limited [1997] HCA 1; (1997) 189 CLR 146 Tang Man Sit v Capacious Investments Ltd [1996] AC 514 The Age Corporation v Beran [2005] NSWCA 289 Thoday v Thoday (1964) P 181 Thompson v Australian Capital Television Pty Ltd and Others [1996] HCA 38; (1996) 186 CLR 574 Thomson v Lambert [1938] 2 DLR 545 Toomey v Mirror Newspapers Ltd (1985) 1 NSWLR 173 Trawl Industries of Australia Pty Ltd (in liq) v Effem Foods Pty Ltd (1992) 36 FCR 406 Truth (NZ) Ltd v Holloway [1960] 1 WLR 997 Wake v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd [1973] 1 NSWLR 43 Wallis v Valentine [2002] EWCA Civ 1034 Walton v Gardiner [1993] HCA 77; (1993) 177 CLR 378 Ward v Weeks (1830) 7 Bing 211 Webb v Bloch [1928] HCA 50; (1928) 41 CLR 331 White v Overland [2001] FCA 1333 Williams v Hunt [1905] 1 KB 512 Williams v Spautz [1992] HCA 34; (1992) 174 CLR 509 Yat Tung Investment Co Ltd v Dao Heng Bank Ltd [1975] AC 581 Zunter v John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd [2005] NSWSC 119; (2005) 62 NSWLR 594 Texts Cited: A M Dugdale, M Jones and M Simpson, Clerk & Lindsell on Torts, 19th ed (2006) Halsbury's Laws of England, 2nd ed, vol 13 (1934) K R Handley, "Anshun Today" (1997) 71 ALJ 934 P Milmo and W V H Rogers, Gatley on Libel and Slander, 11th ed (2008) Sweet & Maxwell New South Wales Law Reform Commission, Defamation (1971) R O'Sullivan and R Brown, Gatley on Libel and Slander, 4th ed (1953) Sweet & Maxwell G Spencer Bower, A K Turner and K R Handley, The Doctrine of Res Judicata, 3rd ed (1996) Butterworths T Starkie, A Treatise on the Law of Slander and Libel, 1st ed, vol 2 (1830) T K Tobin and M G Sexton, Australian Defamation Law and Practice, LexisNexis, Butterworths (2003) Glanville L Williams, Joint Torts and Contributory Negligence, (1951) Stevens & Sons Limited Category: Principal judgment Parties: Mamdouh Habib – Appellant Radio 2UE Sydney Pty Ltd – First Respondent Macquarie Radio Network Network Ltd – Second Respondent Representation: Counsel: C A Evatt with Mr R K M Rasmussen for the Appellant G O'L Reynolds SC with Mr M G Lynch for the Respondents