Bell v Kingsbay Pty Ltd

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF VICTORIA Not Restricted

AT MELBOURNE

COMMON LAW DIVISION

MAJOR TORTS LIST

No. 4618 of 2001

ANTHONY EDWARD BELL	First Plaintiff
SOUTHERN CROSS BROADCASTING (AUSTRALIA) LTD (ACN 006 186 974)	Second Plaintiff
3AW SOUTHERN CROSS RADIO PTY LTD (ACN 006 186 974)	Third Plaintiff
v
KINGSBAY PTY LTD (ACN 095 736 753)	First Defendant
DERRYN HINCH	Second Defendant

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JUDGE:	Gillard J
WHERE HELD:	Melbourne
DATE OF HEARING:	18 September 2001
DATE OF JUDGMENT:	19 October 2001
CASE MAY BE CITED AS:	Bell and Ors v Kingsbay Pty Ltd and Anor
MEDIUM NEUTRAL CITATION:	[2001] VSC 388

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Defamation – further discovery – financial documents of corporation plaintiff – relevance to question of damages – plea of Polly Peck justification – relevance of documents to plea – damages recoverable by a trading corporation.

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APPEARANCES:	Counsel	Solicitors
For the Plaintiffs	Mr W. Houghton QC with Ms G. Schoff	Corrs Chambers Westgarth
For the Defendants	Mr D. Gilbertson	Holding Redlich

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction......................................................................................................................................... 2

The Parties........................................................................................................................................... 2

The Claims........................................................................................................................................... 2

The Summons..................................................................................................................................... 5

Further Discovery............................................................................................................................... 5

Documents........................................................................................................................................... 7

A. Financial Documents............................................................................................................... 7
B. Radio Ratings Surveys........................................................................................................... 11
C. Documents Relating to Sale by the Corporation Plaintiffs of 3AK................................. 12

Documents from July 1996 to February 2001 Relating to News Services.............................. 15

Conclusion on Discovery................................................................................................................ 17

Second and Third Plaintiffs' Claims............................................................................................ 17

HIS HONOUR:

Introduction

1. This is the return of a summons filed by the defendants seeking discovery of a number of classes of identified documents, alternatively, for an order that the plaintiffs provide further and better discovery and in the alternative, that the claims brought by the second and third plaintiffs be struck out, in effect because they do not have a claim for substantial damages. 

1. The plaintiffs seek damages for defamation. 

The Parties

1. The second plaintiff, Southern Cross Broadcasting (Australia) Ltd ("Southern Cross"), is a company which, at all relevant times, was the owner of radio station 3AW.  Up until July 1996, it owned the radio station 3AK.  It sold 3AK to 3AK Fusion Media Pty Ltd. 

1. The first plaintiff, Anthony Edward Bell ("Mr Bell"), at all relevant times, was the managing director of Southern Cross and a well-known businessman. 

1. The third plaintiff, 3AW Southern Cross Radio Pty Ltd ("3AW"), is a company which, at all relevant times, was the holder of a commercial radio broadcast licence to broadcast to listeners through radio station 3AW. 

1. The first defendant, Kingsbay Pty Ltd ("Kingsbay"), is a company which, at all relevant times, was the holder of a commercial radio broadcast licence to broadcast through radio station 3AK. 

1. The second defendant, Derryn Hinch ("Mr Hinch"), was, at all relevant times, employed by Kingsbay as a radio presenter on radio station 3AK. 

The Claims

1. On 8 February 2001, Mr Hinch informed the listening public to radio station 3AK, of the actions of Mr Bell and the other plaintiffs to, in effect, unfairly control radio station 3AK at a time when Southern Cross no longer had any interest in 3AK.