The SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) isn’t a particularly novel way of stifling dissent: indeed, there are laws in California and other US States to prevent them. Their potential for misuse has also been identified in the
Australian context, which has no clear definition of protected free speech.
The latest effort at a SLAPP is by
Gunns Ltd., a
successful forestry company based in Tasmania. They’re suing the
”Gunns 20” for charges including
conspiracy and ‘vilification’ (which is not actually a tort). Defendants include a Senator,
Dr Bob Brown of the
Australian Greens political party.
The case is being compared (by the
defendants) to the infamous PR disaster
McLibel case, however Gunns should perhaps get a better lawyer: their initial pleading has been described by the judge as an "
unintelligible embarrassment", showing that a bit of judicial common sense can still work wonders.
posted by wilful
on Aug 29, 2005 -
6 comments
You may have heard of the "
McLibel Two", the pair of Brits who, as part of a group called London Greenpeace (not affiliated with Greenpeace International, by the by), published a
flier decrying the nutritional and corporate values of McDonalds, and who subsequently lost a libel action brought against them by the corporation. It took a few years, but The European Court of Human Rights has
overturned the decision, based on the fact that the two did not receive legal aid assistance during the trial (where they represented themselves).
posted by PinkStainlessTail
on Feb 15, 2005 -
23 comments
Down on Mickey D's? Spending way too many sweaty, sleepless nights trying to get the image of a mad clown out of your head? Try
McSpotlight - a behemoth mass of anti-burgerflogging data, legal issues, rumors, and other juicy McInformation. Be sure to test your McDIQ with the
The McSpotlight Quiz.
posted by grant
on Dec 2, 1999 -
0 comments
