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Civil Law (Wrongs) Act 2002
130Effect of failure to accept reasonable offer to make
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130 Effect of failure to accept reasonable offer to make
amends
(1) If an offer to make amends is made in relation to the matter in
question but is not accepted, it is a defence to an action for defamation
against the publisher in relation to the matter if—
(a) the publisher made the offer as soon as reasonably practicable
after the publisher was given a concerns notice in relation to the
matter (and, in any event, within the applicable period for an
offer to make amends); and
(b) the publisher was ready and willing, on acceptance of the offer
by the aggrieved person, to carry out the terms of the offer; and
(c) in all the circumstances the offer was reasonable.
(2) In determining whether an offer to make amends is reasonable, a
court—
(a) must have regard to any correction or apology published before
any trial arising out of the matter in question, including the
extent to which the correction or apology is brought to the
attention of the audience of the matter in question taking into
account—
(i) the prominence given to the correction or apology as
published in comparison to the prominence given to the
matter in question as published; and
(ii) the period that elapses between publication of the matter in
question and publication of the correction or apology; and
(b) may have regard to—
(i) whether the aggrieved person refused to accept an offer
that was limited to any particular defamatory imputations
because the aggrieved person did not agree with the
publisher about the imputations that the matter in question
carried; and
(ii) any other matter that the court considers relevant.