Original article by Marianna Papadakis
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 32 : 24-Jul-15

New South Wales District Court judge Judith Gibson notes that social media has contributed to a rise in defamation lawsuits in Australia. Justice Gibson says federal Treasurer Joe Hockey’s case against Fairfax Media demonstrates the need for reforms to defamation laws. She argues that the definition of what constitutes a publication needs to be reconsidered in the digital age, while rules governing the awarding of damages need to be revised in order to discourage minor claims.

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DISTRICT COURT OF NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, MINTER ELLISON, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, TWITTER INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED