FM> There was that uni bloke in WA who recently successfully sued
 FM> someone who defamed him on the Internet. Don't know if he knew
 FM> him though, probably did.

 JG> I was reading about that case and found out that under the laws
 JG> that applied to that case (WA I think), the truth was no
 JG> defense. To not defame someone, it must be shown to be in the
 JG> public interest. Truth is irrelevant!. 

  If you want to see how the opposite approach works, have a look at
the USA. They don't even need truth if it's covered by the first
amendment. The classic case is a newspaper that published lies about
two sisters' morality and got away with it. 

  I think I prefer the Australian libel laws which protect small
unimportant people when there is no public issue involved. We can
still attack public figures... assuming they don't own the newspapers,
TV stations, and judges.

Regards,
Bob
___ Blue Wave/QWK v2.12
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