News Media Ownership v Findlay | |
Court: | Court of Appeal of New Zealand |
Date Decided: | 4 June 1970 |
Full Name: | News Media Ownership v Findlay |
Citations: | [1970] NZLR 1089 |
Judges: | North P, Turner J, Haslam J |
Keywords: | negligence |
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'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.
The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal.