DEFAMATION ACT 2005 - SECT 4 Definitions

DEFAMATION ACT 2005 - SECT 4

In this Act—

S. 4 def. of applicable period inserted by No. 35/2020 s. 18.

applicable period for an offer to make amends is defined by section 14;

S. 4 def. of associated entity inserted by No. 35/2020 s. 18.

"associated entity" has the same meaning as in section 50AAA of the Corporations Act;

"Australian court "means any court established by or under a law of an Australian jurisdiction (including a court conducting committal proceedings for an indictable offence);

"Australian jurisdiction" means—

        (a)     a State; or

        (b)     a Territory; or

        (c)     the Commonwealth;

S. 4 def. of Australian tribunal amended by No. 67/2014 s. 147(Sch.  2 item 13.1(b)).

"Australian tribunal "means any tribunal (other than a court) established by or under a law of an Australian jurisdiction that has the power to take evidence from witnesses before it on oath or affirmation (including a Royal Commission, Board of Inquiry or other special commission of inquiry);

S. 4 def. of Board of Inquiry inserted by No. 67/2014 s. 147(Sch.  2 item 13.1(a)).

"Board of Inquiry" has the same meaning as in the Inquiries Act 2014 ;

S. 4 def. of concerns notice inserted by No. 35/2020 s. 18.

concerns notice is defined by section 12A;

"country" includes—

        (a)     a federation and a state, territory, province or other part of a Federation; and

        (b)     an Australian jurisdiction;

"document "means any record of information, and includes—

        (a)     anything on which there is writing; and

        (b)     anything on which there are marks, figures, symbols or perforations having a meaning for persons qualified to interpret them; and

        (c)     anything from which sounds, images or writings can be reproduced with or without the aid of anything else; and

        (d)     a map, plan, drawing or photograph;

"electronic communication "includes a communication of information in the form of data, text, images or sound (or any combination of these) by means of guided or unguided electromagnetic energy, or both;

S. 4 def. of excluded corporation inserted by No. 35/2020 s. 18.

"excluded corporation" means an excluded corporation referred to in section 9;

S. 4 def. of further particulars notice inserted by No. 35/2020 s. 18.

"further particulars notice" means a further particulars notice referred to in section 12A(3);

"general law "means the common law and equity;

"matter "includes—

        (a)     an article, report, advertisement or other thing communicated by means of a newspaper, magazine or other periodical; and

        (b)     a program, report, advertisement or other thing communicated by means of television, radio, the Internet or any other form of electronic communication; and

        (c)     a letter, note or other writing; and

        (d)     a picture, gesture or oral utterance; and

        (e)     any other thing by means of which something may be communicated to a person;

"offer to make amends "means an offer to make amends under Division 1 of Part 3;

"parliamentary body" means—

        (a)     a parliament or legislature of any country; or

        (b)     a house of a parliament or legislature of any country; or

        (c)     a committee of a parliament or legislature of any country; or

        (d)     a committee of a house or houses of a parliament or legislature of any country;

S. 4 def. of Royal Commission inserted by No. 67/2014 s. 147(Sch.  2 item 13.1(a)).

"Royal Commission" means—

        (a)     a Royal Commission established under the Inquiries Act 2014 ; or

        (b)     a Royal Commission established under the prerogative of the Crown;

"substantially true "means true in substance or not materially different from the truth;

"Territory "means the Australian Capital Territory or the Northern Territory;

"this jurisdiction "means Victoria.