Oliver v Nine Network Australia Pty Ltd

• Jurisdiction: Australia Federal only
• Court: Federal Court
• Judge: LEE J
• Judgment Date: 26 April 2019
• Neutral Citation: [2019] FCA 583
• Date: 26 April 2019

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Oliver v Nine Network Australia Pty Ltd [2019] FCA 583

File number:	NSD 1798 of 2018
Judge:	LEE J
Date of judgment:	26 April 2019
Catchwords:	HIGH COURT AND FEDERAL COURT – federal jurisdiction – issue in relation to jurisdiction of Federal Court in defamation matters identified – first duty of Court to determine questions of jurisdiction – jurisdiction established – discussion of jurisdiction of Federal Court in defamation matters generally ; DEFAMATION – statements amounting to defamation – particular statements – imputations – television broadcast and website publication – where the applicant alleges that the publications give rise to six defamatory imputations –where the action was tried by a judge sitting alone – whether the alleged imputations or substantially similar imputations are conveyed – two imputations conveyed which are defamatory of the applicant ; DAMAGES – general damages – assessment – aggravation – where s 34 of the Defamation Act 2005 (NSW) requires damages to bear a rational relationship to harm – no award of aggravated damages warranted – assessment of damages ; COSTS – observations on Rule 40.08 of the Federal Court Rules which although not applicable because of size of judgment would apply when a proceeding could have been more suitably dealt with in a non-superior court with a fixed monetary jurisdiction and the importance of giving consideration to the likely quantum of damages when deciding whether to commence a defamation proceeding in the Federal Court
Legislation:	Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) Ch 2B, Pt 2A.2, ss 119, 124, 1378 Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) s 140 Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) ss 39B(1A)(c), 64 Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) Part VB Defamation Act 2005 (NSW) ss 11, 31, 33, 34, 35, 36
Cases cited:	Ashby v Slipper [2014] FCAFC 15; (2014) 219 FCR 322 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Edensor Nominees Pty Limited [2001] HCA 1; (2001) 204 CLR 559 Axon v Axon (1937) 59 CLR 395 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 Broome v Cassell & Co Ltd [1972] AC 1027 Browne v Dunn (1893) 6 R 67 Burgundy Royale Investments Pty Ltd v Westpac Banking Corporation (1987) 18 FCR 212 Carson v John Fairfax & Sons Limited (1993) 178 CLR 44 Chakravarti v Advertiser Newspapers Ltd [1998] HCA 37; (1998) 193 CLR 519 Chau v Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd [2019] FCA 185 Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing & Allied Services Union of Australia v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission [2007] FCAFC 132; (2007) 162 FCR 466 Crosby v Kelly [2012] FCAFC 96; (2012) 203 FCR 451 Dow Jones & Co Inc v Gutnick [2002] HCA 56; (2002) 210 CLR 575 Favell v Queensland Newspapers Pty Ltd [2005] HCA 52; (2005) 79 ALJR 1716 Federated Engine-Drivers and Firemen’s Association of Australasia v The Broken Hill Proprietary Company Limited (1911) 12 CLR 398 Fencott v Muller (1983) 152 CLR 570 Herald and Weekly Times Limited v McGregor (1928) 41 CLR 254 Hockey v Fairfax Media Publications Pty Limited [2015] FCA 652; (2015) 237 FCR 33 Hooper v Kirella Pty Ltd [1999] FCA 1584; (1999) 96 FCR 1 Hughes v Mirror Newspapers (1985) 3 NSWLR 504 John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd v Rivkin [2003] HCA 50; (2003) 77 ALJR 1657 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Lewis v Daily Telegraph Ltd [1964] AC 234 LNC Industries Limited v BMW (Australia) Limited (1983) 151 CLR 575 McCarey v Associated Newspapers Ltd (No 2) [1965] 2 QB 86 Palmer Bruyn & Parker Pty Ltd v Parsons [2001] HCA 69; (2001) 208 CLR 388 Rana v Google Inc [2017] FCAFC 156; (2017) 254 FCR 1 Re Culleton [2017] HCA 3; (2017) 91 ALJR 302 Re Wakim; Ex parte McNally [1999] HCA 27; (1999) 198 CLR 511 Reckitt Benckiser (Australia) Pty Limited v Procter & Gamble Australia Pty Limited [2018] FCA 378 Triggell v Pheeney (1951) 82 CLR 497 Trkulja v Google LLC [2018] HCA 25; (2018) 92 ALJR 619 Umoona Tjutagku Health Service Aboriginal Corporation v Walsh [2019] FCAFC 32 Webb v Bloch (1928) 41 CLR 331 ; Amalgamated Television Services Pty Ltd v Marsden [1998] NSWSC 4; (1998) 43 NSWLR 158 Andrews v John Fairfax & Sons [1980] 2 NSWLR 225 Baboolal v Fairfax Digital Australia and New Zealand Pty Ltd [2015] QSC 196 Bleyer v Google [2014] NSWSC 897; (2014) 88 NSWLR 670 Bristow v Adams [2012] NSWCA 166 Cassar v Network Ten Pty Ltd [2014] NSWSC 1576 Klason v Australian Capital Territory [2003] ACTSC 104; (2003) 177 FLR 216 Mirror Newspapers Ltd v Fitzpatrick [1984] 1 NSWLR 643 Morosi v Broadcasting Station 2GB Pty Ltd [1980] 2 NSWLR 418(n) Nationwide News Pty Ltd v Moodie [2003] WASCA 273; (2003) 28 WAR 314 Rayney v The State of Western Australia [No 9] [2017] WASAC 367 Wagner v Harbour Radio Pty Ltd [2018] QSC 201 ; Allsop, J, Federal Jurisdiction and the Jurisdiction of the Federal Court of Australia in 2002 (2002) 23 Aust Bar Rev 29 Milmo QC, P and Rogers, W V H (eds), Gatley on Libel and Slander (Thomson Reuters, 11th ed, 2008)
Date of hearing:	25 March 2019
Date of last submissions:	29 March 2019
Registry:	New South Wales
Division:	General Division
National Practice Area:	Other Federal Jurisdiction
Category:	Catchwords
Number of paragraphs:	135
Counsel for the Applicant:	Mr S Littlemore QC with Mr M A Polden
Solicitor for the Applicant:	Watsons Solicitors & Barristers
Counsel for the Respondents:	Mr B McClintock SC with Mr T Senior
Solicitor for the Respondents:	Mark O’Brien Legal

ORDERS

		NSD 1798 of 2018
BETWEEN:	SAM OLIVER Applicant
AND:	NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED ACN 008 685 407 First Respondent ; TCN CHANNEL NINE PTY LIMITED ACN 001 549 560 Second Respondent ; NBN PTY LIMITED ACN 136 533 741 Third Respondent

JUDGE:	LEE J
DATE OF ORDER:	26 APRIL 2019

THE COURT ORDERS THAT:

1. The proceeding be adjourned for the hearing of any argument as to costs and for the making of final...