A Federal Court judge overseeing Papua New Guinean Politician William Duma’s defamation lawsuit against Fairfax Media has said he would like to move case management hearings online permanently, saying the move to virtual courtrooms was one good that had resulted from the coronavirus pandemic.
The media companies fighting a defamation lawsuit brought by decorated war veteran Ben Roberts-Smith has accused the former soldier of involvement in two more alleged murders while on duty in Afghanistan, taking the total to seven alleged killings in which he is said to be involved.
A last-minute bid by the Federal Attorney-General to protect national security information has delayed an interlocutory hearing in war veteran Ben Roberts-Smith’s defamation lawsuit, potentially pushing out the trial date.
Nine-owned Fairfax Media has been hit with a defamation lawsuit by Papua New Guinea’s Minister of Trade & Commerce, who claims the Australian Financial Review engaged in a “smear campaign” by publishing an article accusing him of corruption, bribery and money laundering.
War veteran Ben Roberts-Smith has told a judge hearing defamation proceedings against several media companies over articles accusing him of war crimes that he can only be vindicated if he is allowed to give evidence in open court, as the Federal Government seeks to impose restrictions on the case due to national security concerns.
The six-week trial in four defamation cases brought by war veteran Ben Roberts-Smith has been pushed off because of restrictions on in-person hearings and the Attorney-General’s decision to invoke national security law and cloak the proceedings in secrecy.
War veteran Ben Roberts-Smith has been denied access to evidence revealing the identity of confidential sources that leaked information concerning alleged war crimes in Afghanistan that were detailed in news articles at the centre of a defamation lawsuit.
ASIC has successfully defended a $10 million defamation case brought by a Canadian trader, with a judge finding any loss experienced was due to his firm’s traders manipulating the market.
A prominent Queensland family has won almost $3.7 million in damages after a court found the Nine Network was “recklessly indifferent” to the truth of a 60 Minutes’ report alleging the collapse of a wall at the family’s quarry was to blame for floods that killed 12 people.
The ABC and Fairfax have lost their bid to file an amended defence in defamation proceedings brought by Chinese businessman Chau Chak Wing, several months after the Full Federal Court upheld a ruling striking out out the publishers’ truth defence.