War Of The Words
Image: Wade Roberts
Words: Staff Writers
An Australian independent street press publisher has claimed a righteous victory in a defamation suit, ending a three-and-half-year legal battle.
Howard Duggan is the Managing Director of Eyeball Media, which publishes Scenestr Magazine, Australia’s largest and only national street press group and leading entertainment and arts website of the same name. Since 2021, Mr Duggan has been embroiled in a heated defamation suit that was brought to a close recently, as comprehensively reported in a news.com.au exclusive by Frank Chung.
It all started in March 2021 with an innocuous attempt at light-hearted humour when Scenestr published a review of a cabaret drag show at Adelaide Fringe. The reviewer playfully referred to a popular Tongan Samoan drag performer as a ‘black pudding’, a culinary reference keeping within the breakfast theme of the show.
Within hours of a complaint being lodged with Scenestr, the article was edited, and the reviewer offered a heartfelt apology acknowledging any wrongdoing and promising to do better. Duggan as publisher also apologised, with the assurance no offence was intended.
His response was not satisfactory for an offended party in the troupe, and Duggan was branded a ‘racist’ and ‘misogynist’ throughout a targeted social media campaign.
A petition was raised demanding he atone and make reparations for the ‘trauma’ caused by this perceived ‘racism’. The controversy was picked up by local media outlets, which projected a biased narrative against Mr Duggan, further damaging his reputation.
It has taken three and a half years for common sense and truth to prevail in a case that should have never been escalated to this point. Clearing his name comes at great personal and financial cost to Mr Duggan, given the emotional toll and expense associated with defamation suits.
There has been a marked increase in defamation cases passing through the Australian courts system in recent years, largely attributed to the rise of social media. There is also our changing language sensibility to consider. As in this case, a few words can potentially ignite a legal firestorm, especially when it’s in the public domain for all to see. It can take years to litigate defamation suits and often many more to restore a tarnished reputation in the court of public opinion.
As reported by news.com.au, Mr Duggan was issued a formal apology in the matter, with no further comment available.
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