Background and Policy Objectives
3.The aim of the Act is to reform the law of defamation to ensure that a fair balance is struck between the right to freedom of expression and the protection of reputation. The Act makes a number of substantive changes to the law of defamation, but is not designed to codify the law into a single statute.
4.Policy Objectives
Make it easier and less expensive to take legal action when you have been defamed;
Make it harder for the rich and influential to chill free speech;
Protect the rights of scientists and academics to engage in robust debate;
Protect the right of journalists to conduct responsible and necessary investigations;
Protect the work of Non-Governmental Organisations;
Remove the current presumption in favour of a jury trial;
Introduce a defence of “responsible publication on matters of public interest”;
Introduce new statutory defences of truth and honest opinion to replace the common law defences of justification and fair comment.
