Index of material on Defamation

This website contains a number of articles and references to issues of defamation. These include:

in the FoP section:

Links to defamation-related websites

2006-2007 report on free speech issues in Annual Report - on defamation law developments

2005-2006 report on free speech issues in Annual Report - on defamation law developments

2004-2005 report on free speech issues in Annual Report - on defamation law developments

2003-2004 report on free speech issues in Annual Report - on defamation law developments

2002-2003 report on free speech issues in Annual Report - on defamation law developments

2001-2002 report on free speech issues in Annual Report - on defamation law developments

2000-2001 Freedom of the Press summary - on defamation law developments

1999-2000 Freedom of the Press summary - on defamation law developments

1998-99 Freedom of the Press summary - on defamation law developments

1997-98 Freedom of the Press summary - on defamation law developments

Australian press law article: defamation

Press Council positions:

• Defamation
• Defamation - Uniformity of Reform

Submissions:

• to the Attorneys-General on uniform defamation
• to the ACT Legislative Assembly Standing Committee on Justice and Community Safety, re the Defamation Bill 1999.
• to the NSW Attorney-General on reform of the NSW defamation law - October 2001.
• to the state and territory Attorney-s-General on possible changes to the Defamation Act on the posting of comments on newspaper weblogs.
• to the federal Minister of Communications on possible changes to the Broadcasting Services Act on the posting of comments on newspaper weblogs.

articles in the APC News:

the implications of the Theophanous and Stephens cases.

Freedom of Speech Encouraged
Chris Merritt looks at Pervan, a 1993 High Court decision.

The U.S. Too Wants Defamation Reform
David Flint looks at early 1990s US attempts at law reform.

Defamation: Judge and Jury
Richard Ackland on ramifications of recent changes to NSW defamation law

Declaration of Falsity
Prof David Flint's column looks at suggested changes to NSW defamation law

Defamation Reform
Prof Michael Chesterman responds to the Press Council's arguments on the Defamation Bill 1995 (NSW)

Judges Must Protect Free Speech
Warren Beeby discusses the High Court's proposed review of "free speech" cases

Defamation Law Revised
Prof David Flint's column looks at the High Court's Lange decision

High Court Seeks to Raise the Quality of Journalism
Evan Whitton on the implications of the High Court's Lange judgment

Chakravarti v. Advertiser Newspapers
Two articles by Professor Dennis Pearce on a recent High Court defamation case:
Defamation Before the High Court Again and
Published Letters as a Defence in Defamation Cases

A Step Back in Time
Crispin Hull of the The Canberra Times analysis of the Chakravarti case (illustrated by Pryor)

ACT Defamation Reform
Talks from HWT's Chris McLeod and the ACT Law Society's Ric Lucas

NSW Defamation Reform
A submission to the NSW Attorney-General on that state's defamation law.

Press freedom under threat
John Hartigan's 2003 Annual Address.

Uniform defamation law
Moves towards uniform defamation legislation in early 2004.

Uniform defamation
Further developments in moves towards uniform defamation legislation in 2004.

Uniform defamation
The release of state and federal draft legislation.

Uniform defamationlaw reform developments - November 2004

Uniform defamation law reform developments - February 2005

Chris McLeod discusses the 'reasonableness' defence

Inez Ryan dissects the 2005 uniform Defamation Acts

Case note on the High Court's Gacic decision.

Developments in the defence of fair comment
Case Note: The Manock case.

Fairfax v Hitchcock
A Case Note on the public interest.

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Freedom of the Press overview

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