A wealthy Queensland family defamed by a Nine Network report about the fatal Grantham floods in 2011 has been awarded a $3.6 million damages payout.
Toowoomba’s Wagner brothers were defamed by a 60 Minutes report from May 2015 that incorrectly insinuated they were responsible for the destruction of the town and deaths of 12 people, a Brisbane Supreme Court jury found.
Nine and journalist Nicholas Cater were ordered on Friday to pay each of the four brothers $900,000 each plus interest.
Justice Peter Applegarth was scathing of the network’s “unjustifiable” conduct, saying it was “recklessly indifferent” with the truth.
“The Nine Network had information that contradicted the allegations contained in the program but did not broadcast it,” he said.
He said Cater’s conclusions were expressed as a result of extensive investigative journalism supported by eyewitnesses but “Mr Cater did not contact any of the Wagners about the allegations he made about their quarry”.
Justice Applegarth said Cater’s and Nine’s careless actions were exacerbated by their failure to retract or apologise once it became clear their report was flawed.
“60 Minutes and Mr Cater’s respective defamations caused substantial injury to the Wagners’ reputations for integrity … and great harm to them personally,” he said.
Nine and Cater were ordered to pay each of the four brothers $600,000 and $300,00 respectively.
-AAP
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