Queensland DEFAMATION AMENDMENT BILL 1999 DEFAMATION AMENDMENT BILL 1999 TABLE OF PROVISIONS Section Page 1 Short title 2.0... eee eee 4 2 Act amended .......... 0.0 e eee 4 3 Insertion of news 15A... 2... ee eee eee 4 15A Protection—communications to Minister, member of Legislative Assembly or staff member...................00.0. 4 A BILL FOR An Act to amend the Defamation Act 1889 Clause Clause Clause sl 4 s3 Defamation Amendment The Parliament of Queensland enacts— Short title 1. This Act may be cited as the Defamation Amendment Act 1999. Act amended 2. This Act amends the Defamation Act 1889. Insertion of new s 15A 3. After section 15— insert— 'Protection—communications to Minister, member of Legislative Assembly or staff member "15A.(1) It is lawful for a constituent to publish defamatory matter to a member of the Legislative Assemb y or to a person who is a member of the member's staff (a "staff member") if the publication is made without malice. "(2) It is lawful for a staff member to publish the defamatory matter to the member if the publication is made without malice. "(3) It is lawful for the member to publish the defamatory matter to a Minister or to a staff member if the publication is made without malice. "(4) In any proceeding about the publication of defamatory matter mentioned in subsection (1), (2) or (3), the onus of proving the publication was made with malice is for the party alleging it was made with malice. "(5) In this section— "constituent" means a person ordinarily entitled to vote in the State.'.