Defamation

Reference received: ​4 November 1992​

Report

Report 75: Defamation (PDF, 718.3 KB), September 1995

Tabled in parliament: 5 December 1995

Judicial citation: Television New Zealand Ltd v Quinn [1996] 3 NZLR 24 at 35 per Lord Cooke of Thorndon; Mann v O'Neill(1997) 191 CLR 204; Campbell v Regional Publishers Pty Ltd (NSW SC,No 20916/97, Levine J, 30 October 1998, unreported) at 4; Howlett v Saggers (NSW SC, No 20783/95, Donovan AJ, 24 April 1998, unreported) at 35; De Rossa v Independent Newspapers Plc [1999] 4 IR 432; Lange v Atkinson [2000] 3 NZLR 385 at para 53, 57; Marsden v Amalgamated Television Services Pty Ltd [2001] NSWSC 510 at para 5222, 5226; Reading v Australian Broadcasting Commission[2003] NSWSC 716 at para 61 62; Griffith v Australian Broadcas ing Commission [2003] NSWSC 298 at para 16; Australian Broadcasting Corporation v Reading [2004] NSWCA 411 at para 143

Discussion paper

​Discussion Paper 32: Defamation, August 1993

Judicial citation: Theophanous v Herald & Weekly Times Ltd (1994) 182 CLR 104 at 131, 135, 136; O'Neill v Mann (1994) 54 FCR 212; Mann v O'Neill (1997) 191 CLR 204; Griffith v Australian Broadcasting Commission [2003] NSWSC 298 at para 10

Terms of reference

To inquire into and report on the law of defamation in New South Wales, with particular reference to:

(a) the relative roles of the judge and jury;

(b) standards, defences, onus and procedures;

(c) the determination of damages;

(d) non-monetary remedies, including court-ordered correction statements;

(e) alternative or additional techniques of dispute resolution;

(f) the need for provision of a separate tort of invasion of privacy;

(g) the need for the provision of "shield laws" to protect journalist's sources; and

(h) any related matters.

The Commission should provide drafting instructions for amendment of the Bill, and in doing so, taking into consideration such empirical data relating to defamation matters as may be available and to have particular regard to the proposals of the Standing Committee of Attorneys General for uniformity of defamation laws in Australia and the Discussion Paper and Report of the Legislative Committee on the Defamation Bill 1992.

Note: See Reference 10 Defamation for an earlier review of the law of defamation​