'Good day for journalism and press freedom' as Government pledges to overhaul defamation law

The proposed update to the 2009 Defamation Act will include protections against so-called frivolous Slapp (strategic lawsuit against public participation) proceedings. 

The Government will publish its new Defamation Bill next week, scrapping the current system which will see juries awarding damages to successful plaintiffs, in a move described as “a good day for journalism”.

However, the new bill will not include a “serious harm test”, a move which was greeted with “disappointment” by media organisations, who urged the Government to reconsider its omission.