Bailey v Win Television NSW Pty Ltd

Case [2020] NSWCA 352


Court of Appeal


Supreme Court


New South Wales

  • Amendment notes
Medium Neutral Citation: Bailey v WIN Television NSW Pty Ltd [2020] NSWCA 352
Hearing dates: 21 September 2020
Date of orders: 22 December 2020
Decision date: 22 December 2020
Before: Meagher JA at [1];
White JA at [5];
Simpson AJA at [16]
Decision:

1. To the extent necessary, leave to appeal is granted;

2. The appeal is dismissed;

3. The appellant is to pay the respondents’ costs of the appeal.

Catchwords:

DEFAMATION – defamatory matter – where news report on termination of General Manager of Council – where report referred to allegations of bullying and intimidation – whether imputation conveyed that General Manager bullied and intimidated staff

DEFAMATION – defences – statutory qualified privilege – reasonableness – relevance of propositions stated in Morgan v John Fairfax Ltd [No 2] (1991) 23 NSWLR 374

Legislation Cited:

Defamation Act 1958 (NSW)

Defamation Act 1974 (NSW)

Defamation Act 2005 (NSW)

Defamation Amendment Act 2002 (NSW)

Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW)
Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW)

Cases Cited:

Adam v Ward [1917] AC 309

Aktas v Westpac Banking Corporation (2010) 241 CLR 79; [2010] HCA 35

Austin v Mirror Newspapers Ltd (1985) 3 NSWLR 354

Barbaro v Amalgamated Television Services Pty Ltd (1990) 20 NSWLR 493

Braddock v Bevins [1948] 1 KB 580

Capital and Counties Bank Ltd v Henty & Sons (1882) 7 App Cas. 741

Cummings v Fairfax Digital Australia & New Zealand Pty Ltd (2018) 99 NSWLR 173; [2018] NSWCA 325

Fox v Percy (2003) 214 CLR 118; [2003] HCA 22

John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd v Zunter [2006] NSWCA 227

Lange v Australian Broadcasting Corporation (1997) 189 CLR 520; [1997] HCA 25

Lee v Lee; Hsu v RACQ Insurance Limited; Lee v RACQ Insurance Limited [2019] HCA 28

Lewis v Daily Telegraph Ltd [1963] 1 QB 340

Lewis v Daily Telegraph Ltd [1964] AC 234

Marshall v Megna [2013] NSWCA 30

Morgan v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd (1990) 20 NSWLR 511

Morgan v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd [No 2] (1991) 23 NSWLR 374

Nationwide News Pty Ltd v Rush [2020] FCAFC 115

Radio 2UE Sydney Pty Ltd v Chesterton (2009) 238 CLR 460; [2009] HCA 16

Roberts v Bass (2002) 212 CLR 1; [2002] HCA 57

Robinson Helicopter Company Incorporated v McDermott [2016] HCA 22

Rush v Nationwide News Pty Ltd (No 7) [2019] FCA 496

Stoltenberg v Bolton; Loder v Bolton [2020] NSWCA 45

Toogood v Spyring [1834] Eng R 363; (1834) 1 Cr MR 181; 149 ER 1044

Warren v Coombes (1979) 142 CLR 531; [1979] HCA 9

Texts Cited:

New South Wales, Parliamentary Debates, Legislative Council, 5 December 2002 at 7774.

Category:Principal judgment
Parties: Roger Bailey (Appellant)
WIN Television NSW Pty Ltd (1st Respondent)
WIN Corporation Pty Limited (2nd Respondent)
Representation:

Counsel:
D R Sibtain/L Barnett (Appellant)
S T Chrysanthou SC/B Dean (Respondents)

Solicitors:
Mills Oakley (Appellant)
Banki Haddock Fiora (Respondents)
File Number(s): 2020/113927
 Decision…

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Details
AGLC
Bailey v Win Television NSW Pty Ltd [2020] NSWCA 352
Case
[2020] NSWCA 352
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

Bailey, the former General Manager of a local council, appealed a decision of the primary judge concerning a defamation claim against Win Television NSW Pty Ltd. The dispute arose from a television news report that referred to allegations of bullying and intimidation made against Bailey in connection with his termination from the council. Bailey contended that the report conveyed imputations that he had bullied and intimidated staff.

The central legal issue before the Court of Appeal was whether the television report, in its context, conveyed the imputation that Bailey had bullied and intimidated staff. A secondary issue, arising in the context of the defence of statutory qualified privilege, concerned the application of the reasonableness test as established in *Morgan v John Fairfax Ltd [No 2]*.

The Court of Appeal, comprising Meagher and White JJA and Simpson AJA, found that the primary judge had correctly determined that the television report did not convey the imputation that Bailey had bullied and intimidated staff. The court reasoned that the report accurately reflected the subject matter of the council's investigation and the reasons for Bailey's termination, without asserting the truth of the allegations of bullying and intimidation as fact. The court also considered the defence of statutory qualified privilege, applying the principles of reasonableness from *Morgan v John Fairfax Ltd [No 2]*, and found it was not established.

Consequently, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, granting leave to appeal only to the extent necessary. The appellant, Bailey, was ordered to pay the respondents’ costs of the appeal.

Orders

Orders of the court

1. To the extent necessary, leave to appeal is granted;

2. The appeal is dismissed;

3. The appellant is to pay the respondents’ costs of the appeal.

Background

Background to the litigation

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Evidence

Evidence Before The Court

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Decision

Reasons for decision

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Ratio Decidendi

Legal Principle Established

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