Li v The Herald & Weekly Times Pty Ltd

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF VICTORIA	Not Restricted
AT MELBOURNE COMMON LAW DIVISION

No. 4641 of 2004

ABBIE LI	First Plaintiff
and
BY FOREVER YOUNG PTY LTD	Second Plaintiff
v
THE HERALD AND WEEKLY TIMES PTY LTD	First Defendant
(ACN 004 113 937)
and
KEITH MOOR	Second Defendant

---

JUDGE:	GILLARD J
WHERE HELD:	Melbourne
DATE OF HEARING:	26 to 28 February; 1, 2, 5-9, 13-16, 19, 20, 22, 23 and 27 March 2007
DATE OF JUDGMENT:	20 April 2007
CASE MAY BE CITED AS:	Li & anor v The Herald and Weekly Times & anor
MEDIUM NEUTRAL CITATION:	[2007] VSC 109

---

DEFAMATION – Libel – Eight articles in newspapers – Some in same edition – Connected and repeated – The two articles in same edition should be one cause of action – Necessity to read whole article to determine defamatory imputations – May determine damages on global basis - Articles defamatory of person – Claim by company – Articles not defamatory of trading company – Defence of justification established by defendants – Plaintiffs fail – Observations on damages – Claim for loss of income – Necessity of proper pleading and proof – Evidence inadequate and speculative – Evidence – Use of evidence of conduct showing lack of faith in case – Circumstantial evidence.

---

APPEARANCES:	Counsel	Solicitors
For the Plaintiffs	Mr J.M. Selimi	Starnet Legal Pty Ltd
For the Defendants	Mr W. Houghton QC with	Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Ms G. Schoff

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Parties ...................................................................................................................................................2

Basic Facts and Defamatory Articles ..............................................................................................2

The Issues ..........................................................................................................................................12

Plaintiffs’ Proofs...............................................................................................................................26

Ms Li’s Proofs ...................................................................................................................................33

1. Article 1.....................................................................................................................................34

2. Article 2.....................................................................................................................................39

3. Article 3.....................................................................................................................................40

4. Article 4.....................................................................................................................................40

5. Article 5.....................................................................................................................................42

6. Article 6.....................................................................................................................................43

7. Article 7.....................................................................................................................................48

8. Article 8.....................................................................................................................................53

Ms Li’s Prima Facie Case ................................................................................................................53

By Forever Young Pty Ltd’s Proofs ...............................................................................................54

1. Article 1.....................................................................................................................................54

2. Article 2.....................................................................................................................................55

3. Article 4.....................................................................................................................................56

4. Article 5.....................................................................................................................................57

Company’s causes of action ...........................................................................................................57

The Defences.....................................................................................................................................58

The Articles and Justification ........................................................................................................62

(i) Credibility................................................................................................................................62

(ii) Defence of Justification.........................................................................................................84

(iii) Articles 1 – 5 (inclusive) and 8............................................................................................84

(iv) Articles 6 and 7 ...................................................................................................................108

Conclusions – Liability .................................................................................................................111

(i) Ms Li’s Claims.......................................................................................................................111

(ii) The Company’s Claims ......................................................................................................112

(iii) The Polly Peck Defence of Justification ..........................................................................112

(iv) Defence of Fair Comment .................................................................................................113

Damages...........................................................................................................................................114

Special Damages – Alleged Pecuniary Loss..............................................................................118

CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................134

Attachment “A”.........................................................................................................................135

Attachment “B” .........................................................................................................................137

Attachment “C”.........................................................................................................................138

Attachment “D”.........................................................................................................................139

Attachment “E” .........................................................................................................................140

Attachment “F”..........................................................................................................................141

......................................................................................................................................................142

Attachment “G”.........................................................................................................................143

Attachment “H” ........................................................................................................................144

HIS HONOUR:

1. A proceeding instituted by writ, in which two plaintiffs seek damages for defamation arising out of the publication of eight articles in the Herald Sun newspaper in this State.

   Parties

2. The first plaintiff, Ms Abbie Li (“Ms Li”), is a 48 year old Chinese woman, formerly a registered Chinese herbal medicine practitioner, who carried on practice at Level 4, 24 Collins Street, Melbourne from early 2000 to early 2006.

3. The second plaintiff, By Forever Young Pty Ltd (“Forever Young”), is a company registered in June 2001, which carried on business at the same premises as Ms Li. Forever…