© Redfern Legal Centre. You may print this document for your personal and non-commercial use. All other uses, including copying the content for non-personal use, reproduction of this document or any part, or the redistribution of it is prohibited, unless you have prior written approval from the Redfern Legal Centre. Speaking Wisely Table of Contents Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................................ 5 Disclaimer .............................................................................................................................................................. 6 PART I: Managing public comment in organisations .......................................................... 7 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................... 7 Speaking Wisely: Need and Risk ....................................................................................................... 7 How Speaking Wisely can help .......................................................................................................... 7 Variations of Media ................................................................................................................................. 7 Strategies ............................................................................................................................................................... 8 1. Strategies: Public Comment Policy ............................................................................................. 8 2. Strategies: Head Checklist ............................................................................................................ 14 PART II: Public comment risk management ........................................................................ 15 Defamation ........................................................................................................................................................ 15 1. Defamation: Risk Management Check List ............................................................................ 15 2. Defamation: Background Information .................................................................................... 17 3. Defamation: Defences ..................................................................................................................... 18 4. Defamation: Illustrative Cases .................................................................................................... 21 5. Defamation: Hypothetical Scenarios to Consider ............................................................... 22 Copyright and Plagiarism ............................................................................................................................ 24 1. Copyright and Plagiarism: Risk Management Checklist .................................................. 24 2. Copyright and Plagiarism: Background Information ........................................................ 25 3. Copyright and Plagiarism: Illustrative Cases ....................................................................... 27 4. Copyright and Plagiarism: Hypothetical Scenarios to Consider .................................. 28 Unlawful Discrimination .............................................................................................................................. 30 1. Unlawful Discrimination: Risk management Checklist .................................................... 30 2. Unlawful Discrimination: Background information .......................................................... 31 3. Unlawful Discrimination: Illustrative Cases ......................................................................... 34 4. Unlawful Discrimination: Hypothetical Scenarios to Consider .................................... 36 Sub Judice – Contempt of Court by Publication .................................................................................. 38 1. Sub Judice – Contempt of Court by Publication: Risk Management Checklist ....... 38 2. Sub judice – Contempt of Court by Publication: Background Information ............. 40 3. Sub Judice – Contempt of Court by Publication: Illustrative Cases ............................. 42 4. Sub Judice – Contempt of Court by Publication: Hypothetical Scenarios to Consider .................................................................................................................................................... 43 Misleading or Deceptive Conduct ............................................................................................................. 45 1. Misleading or Deceptive Conduct: Risk Management Checklist .................................. 45 2. Misleading or Deceptive Conduct: Background Information ........................................ 46 3. Misleading or Deceptive Conduct: Illustrative Cases ........................................................ 48 4. Misleading or Deceptive Conduct: Hypothetical Scenarios to Consider ................... 49 Protecting the Identity of Children .......................................................................................................... 50 1. Protecting the Identity of Children: Risk Management Checklist ............................... 50 2. Protecting the Identity of Children: Background Information ..................................... 52 Apprehended violence order proceedings ................................................................................. 54 3. Protecting the Identity of Children: Illustrative Cases ..................................................... 55 4. Protecting the Identity of Children: Hypothetical Scenarios to Consider ................ 56 Legal Professional Privilege (NSW) ........................................................................................................ 58 1. Legal Professional Privilege (NSW): Risk Management Checklist .............................. 58 2. Legal Professional Privilege (NSW): Background Information .................................... 59 3. Legal Professional Privilege (NSW): Illustrative Cases .................................................... 61 3 Redfern Legal Centre 4. Legal Professional Privilege (NSW): Hypothetical Scenarios to Consider ............... 62 Speaking Personally ....................................................................................................................................... 63 1. Speaking Personally: Checklist ................................................................................................... 63 PART III: How-to Guides ............................................................................................................. 65 How-to Guides ................................................................................................................................................... 65 1. How-to Guides: Dealing with the Media ................................................................................. 65 Press releases .......................................................................................................................................... 66 2. How-to Guides: Practical Guidelines for Media Interaction ........................................... 68 3. How-to Guides: Media Release kit ............................................................................................. 70 4. How-to Guides: Pro-forma Media Release ............................................................................. 72 5. How-to Guides: Event Risk Management Checklist ........................................................... 74 6. How-to Guides: Social Media – Facebook and Twitter ..................................................... 77 Other Relevant Information ....................................................................................................................... 83 Bibliography ...................................................................................................................................................... 85 Detachable Checklists .................................................................................................................................... 90 Strategies: Head Checklist ................................................................................................................. 90 Defamation: Risk Management Check List ................................................................................. 91 Copyright and Plagiarism: Risk Management Checklist ....................................................... 93 Unlawful Discrimination: Risk Management Checklist ......................................................... 95 Sub Judice – Contempt of Court by Publication: Risk Management Checklist ............ 97 Misleading or Deceptive Conduct: Risk Management Checklist ....................................... 99 Protecting the Identity of Children: Risk Management Checklist ................................. 101 Legal Professional Privilege (NSW): Risk Management Checklist ................................ 103 4 Speaking Wisely Acknowledgements Redfern Legal Centre acknowledges that we work on Aboriginal land, traditionally the home of the Cadigal people of the Eora nation. The core writing and research for this public comment kit was undertaken by Shannon Torrens and Eleanor Doyle-Markwick, with the valuable assistance and support of: Emma