Ahmadi v Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd (No 2)

The case involved a claim by Mr Ahmadi against Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd, where Mr Ahmadi sought damages for defamation. The dispute centred on articles published in The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, which he argued had damaged his reputation. The matter was heard in the Federal Court of Australia.

The primary legal issues the court had to decide were whether certain imputations contained in the articles were defamatory, and if so, the appropriate quantum of damages and costs. Additionally, the court had to determine the appropriate interest rate on the awarded damages.

The court held that while six of the eight imputations were defamatory, two were not proved to be true. It was deemed unfair to apply a strict arithmetic approach to the costs, given the mixed outcomes. As a result, the court awarded one-third of the costs to Mr Ahmadi, reflecting the partial success of his claims. Regarding interest, the court determined that half of the general damages would attract interest at 4%, and the other half at 2%, resulting in an overall interest rate of 3% up until the date of judgment. This decision balanced the need for deterrence with the fairness of the outcome.