What is the relevant act and is that act a "public
act" of Mr Sunol's?
43 The relevant acts have been set out above. Each of the publications on Mr
Sunol's web page are public acts within the definition of that term in s 49ZS.
They are communications to the public because any member of the public can
access Mr Sunol's blog and read text and view videos that are on that website:
Jones v Toben [2002] FCA 1150 per Branson J at [73] - [75].
44 Mr Sunol denies ever writing the word "faggot" (a highly pejorative term for a
gay male) on his website. He says he only uses that word in emails and
letters. Despite Mr Sunol's denials, the word "faggot" appears on his blog in
surrounding text which Mr Sunol does not deny writing. We are satisfied that
he wrote that word wherever it appears.
45 The eighth publication is partly a response to a post by "Rodney" saying, "Are
the police wanting to talk to you about harassing Mr Burns? Mr Sunol if I was
you I'd settle all matters with Burns and move on with your life. Burns is not
going away." We reject Mr Sunol's submission in relation to the eighth
publication that:
I was speaking to this man via email who was crating trouble and to stir me up. Yes
I did say it but not to the public and it is only an private conversation and would
hurt no one; I was angry with Gary who abuses the law and is out to take me to
court to gain money unethically and through false accusations.
46 Contrary to Mr Sunol's assertion, we are satisfied that Mr Sunol wrote these
words on his website. They constitute a public act.
47 In relation to the ninth publication, this comment is part of a longer post to "John
Ellis" apparently responding to a message that he sent via the website. Again
Mr Sunol denies writing this comment on his website. In a letter to the
President of the Anti-Discrimination Board he says:
Another private conversation with a person who put online what I wrote in
reference to and it is being used to set me up and I believe that Gary is part of this.
48 We are satisfied from the print out provided by Mr Burns that Mr Sunol
published this comment on his publicly accessible website and that it is a
public act.
49 The fifth publication is a letter to Mr Burns. It is not a public act because it is a
private letter addressed to Mr Burns. This part of Mr Burns' complaint is not
substantiated.
50 In relation to the eleventh publication, this email was sent by Mr Sunol to Tony B
who forwarded it to Mr Burns. Neither the sending of the email to Tony or the
forwarding of that email to Mr Burns is a public act. Mr Burns says that the
email was then "printed via a public act on zgeek's." It is clear from the print