Judge supports media’s defence of public interest in libel cases

A HIGH Court judge has set out a more liberal interpretation of the law in relation to the circumstances in which the media may defend the publication of certain material, even if that material is incorrect, on grounds that publication was in the public interest.

Mr Justice Peter Charleton said he believed there is a general public interest in the public receiving information — even if that information turns out to be incorrect — on matters of public interest, such as their safety and security and their right to judge public representatives fairly “on the basis of real information”.

There was also a duty on journalists to responsibly gather and report such information, he said. The conduct of journalists in relation to how they gathered and reported information should be taken into account in libel claims.