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Judge sours on remote trials, bemoans ‘leisure wear effect’
A judge who has been an enthusiastic lab rat in the virtual hearing experiment forced on the country's courts by the COVID-19 pandemic has expressed doubts that he is accurately reading witnessses giving remote evidence.
WA premier Mark McGowan must give evidence in Sydney court in Palmer case
Western Australia premier Mark McGowan has been ordered to appear in person in a Sydney court to give evidence at trial in a defamation case by mining billionaire Clive Palmer, but a judge has pushed back the hearing so McGowan can attend state parliament.
WA Premier can’t shield text messages with AG about Mineralogy bill
Clive Palmer has won his bid to view text messages between Western Australian premier Mark McGowan and the state attorney-general discussing a bill to ban the billionaire mining magnate from suing the state for $30 billion.
WA Premier engaged in ‘disgraceful and dishonourable’ conduct, Clive Palmer tells defamation judge
The court has given the green light to an amended defamation defence by Clive Palmer which accuses Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan of "disgraceful and dishonourable conduct" and abusing his position by hastily and secretly enacting legislation that barred the billionaire mining magnate from suing the state for $30 billion.
Tax commissioner defamed accountant Vanda Gould but has valid defence
Embattled Sydney accountant Vanda Gould has lost his defamation case against the Commissioner of Taxation, with a court finding Chris Jordan’s defamatory comments constituted a “robust”, but proportional, counter-attack to Gould’s public disparagement of the Australian Tax Office.
Fairfax to compensate PNG minister, ‘ludicrous’ objection to orders shot down
Nine subsidiary Fairfax Media has agreed to pay compensation to a Papua New Guinea politician who sued the publisher for defamation for allegedly engaging in a “smear campaign”, with a judge making an order of compensation despite a “ludicrous” objection from Fairfax.
High Court finds media responsible for third-party Facebook comments
The High Court has found that media outlets are responsible for the publication of defamatory third-party comments on news stories posted to their Facebook pages, upholding a landmark decision by the NSW Supreme Court.
Judge says Nine’s ‘pride or ego’ only reason for alleged defamatory articles staying online
A judge overseeing a Papua New Guinean politician’s defamation lawsuit has criticised Nine’s refusal to take down two allegedly defamatory articles ahead of a delayed trial, saying there was no reason to keep them online except for the publisher’s “pride or ego”.
WA premier chips away at Clive Palmer’s defence in border closure defamation case
A judge has partially struck out mining magnate Clive Palmer’s defence to WA Premier Mark McGowan’s defamation claim over statements which allegedly accused the premier of corruption, abusing his position and lying about the decision to close the state’s borders at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic last year.
McGowan says Clive Palmer can’t defend truth of criminal cover up imputation
Billionaire Clive Palmer cannot defend the truth of alleged defamatory imputations that Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan tried to "cover up" criminal acts and was "corrupt", the premier's barrister has told the court.