Changes to defend court reporters urged

The Law Reform Commission is recommending changes to the law to stop people involved in court actions taking defamation claims against journalists who make minor mistakes in reporting their case.

The commission says a “simple oversight, omission, or error” in a court report should not expose a reporter to the risk of being sued for defamation. It recommends that the Defamation Act 2009 be amended to add protections for reporters, by including a list of what constitutes a fair and accurate report and making it clearer when those standards are breached.