Within the Australian legal system defamation falls under the legal heading of 'torts', thus meaning a civil wrong. Australian defamation laws are primarily State and Territory laws (not Federal) and the laws, including available defences, vary within each separate jurisdiction. The law of defamation is supposed to offer solace to an individual who has had their reputation damaged due to defamation by either slander or libel. If defamation has been proven the normal mechanism of …showed first 75 words of 492 total…

…showed last 75 words of 492 total…If this role was to be hindered by the rich and powerful Australia could find itself resting in the hands of those individuals with the money to influence the way we think, whilst never knowing otherwise (Mendel, 2000). Reference List Mendel, Toby (2000), "Background paper on Freedom of Expression and Defamation" Found at - http://www.article19.org/docimages/914.htm Accessed on - 20/10/02 Pearson, Mark (1997) "The journalist's Guide To Media Law", Crows Nest NSW, Allen & Unwin.