Chinese-Australian billionaire Chau Chak Wing wins defamation case against Sydney newspaper which alleged he helped bribe UN official
- The decision coincides with mounting tensions between Canberra and Beijing rise over fears of Chinese influence in Australian politics
Fairfax Media, publisher of The Sydney Morning Herald, was ordered to pay Chau Chak Wing A$280,000 (US$199,000) in damages after a judge at the Federal Court of Australia ruled that the 2015 article was defamatory.
“The natural and ordinary meaning of the words employed in the article, and the overall impression conveyed by the article considered as a whole, was not merely one of suspicion, but one of guilt,” Justice Michael Wigney said in his judgement. “I consider their [Fairfax and its reporter] conduct to have been unreasonable in many respects.”
New Fairfax owner Nine said it would appeal the decision.
The decision came as tensions between Canberra and Beijing rise over fears of Chinese influence in Australian politics.
An Australian citizen who made his money in property development, Chau has consistently denied any links to the Communist Party of China or the UN scandal, and said Friday his faith in the Australian legal system “has been vindicated”.
Chau added that he would donate the damages to charities supporting Australian military veterans and their families.
