Fong-Jones v Flow Chemical Pty Ltd

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF VICTORIA Not Restricted

AT MELBOURNE
COMMON LAW DIVISION
MAJOR TORTS LIST

S ECI 2023 02348

BETWEEN:

ZHEN ELIZABETH FONG-JONES	Plaintiff
v
FLOW CHEMICAL PTY LTD & ANOR (according to the attached Schedule)	Defendants

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JUDGE:	Efthim AsJ
WHERE HELD:	Melbourne
DATE OF HEARING:	22 September 2023
DATE OF JUDGMENT:	18 October 2023
CASE MAY BE CITED AS:	Fong-Jones v Flow Chemical Pty Ltd
MEDIUM NEUTRAL CITATION:	[2023] VSC 770

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DEFAMATION – Application for assessment of damages – Undefended – Interlocutory judgment entered for the defendants to pay the plaintiff damages to be assessed – Plaintiff sought damages including aggravated damages, interests and costs – Plaintiff alleges that defendants were instrumental to the publication and continuing publication of the defamatory thread – Consideration of factors relevant to assessment of damages – Defamation Act 2005 (Vic), ss 34 and 35 – Seriousness of the imputations and extent of publication – ‘Grapevine effect’ arising from the publication of the defamatory material – Vindication of plaintiff’s reputation – Plaintiff awarded $445,000 in damages inclusive of aggravated damages and interest – Indemnity costs awarded under s 40 of the Defamation Act 2005 (Vic).

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APPEARANCES:	Counsel	Solicitors
For the Plaintiff	T Mullen	Maloney Anderson Legal
For the Defendants

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Legal principles.................................................................................................................................. 2

The plaintiff - Reputation................................................................................................................ 5

Seriousness of imputations.............................................................................................................. 7

Extent of publication......................................................................................................................... 7

Serious harm to reputation............................................................................................................... 9

The effect on the plaintiff.............................................................................................................. 10

Damages............................................................................................................................................. 11

The damages awarded to the plaintiff..................................................................................... 12

Aggravated damages.................................................................................................................. 12

Interest.......................................................................................................................................... 14

Costs.............................................................................................................................................. 15

Conclusion......................................................................................................................................... 16

HIS HONOUR:

1. The plaintiff, Zhen Elizabeth Fong-Jones, asserts that since 30 August 2022, she has been the target of a vile, abusive, transphobic, defamatory thread on the internet discussion forum called ‘Kiwi Farms’ (‘Defamatory Thread’).

1. The plaintiff filed and served a statement of claim against the first defendant, Flow Chemical Pty Ltd and the second defendant, Vincent Zhen, alleging that by reason of the Defamatory Thread she has been seriously injured in her reputation, suffered hurt, distress, embarrassment, and has thereby suffered and will continue to suffer loss and damage. 

1. The plaintiff claims against the defendants damages, including aggravated damages.

1. The first defendant, Flow Chemical Pty Ltd, has since May 2018 been the registered owner of two APNIC (Asia Pacific Network Information Centre)[1] assigned IP blocks, a subset of one which allows 1776 Solutions LLC to host the Kiwi Farms website.  The second defendant, Vincent Zhen, is the sole director, secretary and shareholder of the first defendant. 

   [1]The Asia Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC) is a non-profit organisation whose primary role is to distribute and manage internet number resources (IP addresses and AS numbers) in the Asia-Pacific region. 

1. The defendants were not the authors of the Defamatory Thread, however the statement of claim pleads that they were instrumental to its publication and continuing publication. 

1. Kiwi Farms according to the statement of claim is and was at all material times:   

(a)       an internet discussion forum:

i.where users or hosts create discussion threads about public…