News outlets lose say in actor’s case

AUSTRALIA: Six media organisations have been knocked back in their bid to join the fight against Australian actor Rebel Wilson’s record A$4.5 million defamation payout.

The Pitch Perfect star was last September awarded Australia’s highest defamation damages, after successfully proving that Bauer Media painted her as a serial liar in articles published in 2015.

Bauer subsequently indicated its intention to appeal the payout, comprising A$650,000 in general damages and A$3,917,472 in special damages, with the matter listed for April.

The Seven and Nine networks, News Corp, Fairfax, Macquarie Media and the ABC applied to ‘‘intervene’’ in the proceedings, planning to argue that the payout was inconsistent with previous defamation awards.

Barrister David Collins, QC, acting for the media organisations, said his clients wanted to make additional submissions to Bauer’s claims, noting that legislation was in place to provide an approximate median value of such payouts.

But Wilson’s lawyer, Renee Enbom, said the application to intervene in the appeal should be refused.

‘‘The application is an inappropriate attempt by media organisations to bolster another media organisation’s appeal against a successful plaintiff,’’ she argued.

‘‘I don’t think the interveners raise a discrete point.

‘‘Bauer Media’s intents are aligned with the interveners’ intent.’’

Justice Pamela Tate agreed, stating that while the six media organisations had a ‘‘significant interest’’ in the case, she and Justice David Beach were not persuaded that their arguments would be useful.

She said the issue of capping damages for non-economic loss would already be covered in Bauer’s submissions. – AAP