News Media Ownership v Findlay

News Media Ownership v Findlay [1970] NZLR 1089 is a cited case in New Zealand regarding the defence of fair comment / honest opinion to a claim involving defamation.[1]

News Media Ownership v Findlay
CourtCourt of Appeal of New Zealand
Full case nameNews Media Ownership v Findlay
Decided4 June 1970
Citation(s)[1970] NZLR 1089
Court membership
Judge(s) sittingNorth P, Turner J, Haslam J
Keywords
negligence

Background edit

News Media's newspaper Truth ran a campaign to bring back caning. In the process, they made allegations against opposition MP Findlay that his views to the contrary were based on the fact that as he was a lawyer, he was more interested in the extra legal fees an anti-caning policy would bring him, rather than any perceived interest in victims of domestic violence.

Findlay, later sued for defamation, and was later awarded $15,000. NMO appealed.

Held edit

The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal.

References edit

  1. ^ McLay, Geoff (2003). Butterworths Student Companion Torts (4th ed.). LexisNexis. ISBN 0-408-71686-X.