Chau Chak Wing Wins Defamation Suit Against Fairfax Media

Chau Chak Wing Wins Defamation Suit Against Fairfax Media

Chinese-Australian billionaire Chau Chak Wing has won his defamation case against Fairfax Media, awarded $280,000 in damages.

The defamation lawsuit was filed by Chau in response to a 2015 article written by John Garnaut and published on The Sydney Morning Herald’s website, entitled: “Are Chau Chak Wing’s circles of influence in Australia-China ties built on hot air?”

Chau told a Federal Court that the article falsely suspects him of conspiring to bribe former UN General Assembly president John Ashe, and has caused a lot of harm to his personal and professional reputation.

A spokesperson for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age said: “We will be appealing the Federal Court’s Decision.

“We are disappointed that the judge did not uphold our public interest defence, which was the only one available to us under Australian defamation law, and was not persuaded by our evidence.

“John Garnaut is a careful, meticulous, Walkley award-winning journalist who is globally recognised for his China expertise.

“Within the current defamation regime, both The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age remain committed to the role of public interest journalism. We source and check all our stories vigorously and take great pride in our role to inform the community debate”.

Garnaut said in response to the ruling: “I place great store in my personal integrity and professional credibility.

“I took great care in compiling this story, building on six years of close observation.

“I believe the story was reported fairly, responsibly and in the public interest”.

 




Please login with linkedin to comment

Channel Nine Chau Chak Wing Fairfax

Latest News

Sydney Comedy Festival: Taking The City & Social Media By Storm
  • Media

Sydney Comedy Festival: Taking The City & Social Media By Storm

Sydney Comedy Festival 2024 is live and ready to rumble, showing the best of international and homegrown talent at a host of venues around town. As usual, it’s hot on the heels of its big sister, the giant that is the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, picking up some acts as they continue on their own […]

Global Marketers Descend For AANA’s RESET For Growth
  • Advertising

Global Marketers Descend For AANA’s RESET For Growth

The Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) has announced the final epic lineup of local and global marketing powerhouses for RESET for Growth 2024. Lead image: Josh Faulks, chief executive officer, AANA  Back in 2000, a woman with no business experience opened her first juice bar in Adelaide. The idea was brilliantly simple: make healthy […]