Fairfax New Zealand Ltd has been fined $10,000 after its newspaper The Dominion Post admitted breaking the law by publishing a story about Maritime New Zealand's failures in a near-catastrophic shipping accident, based on a draft Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) report.
The Dominion Post ran a story on March 28 about the near-capsize of cargo ship Taharoa Express off Cape Egmont, Taranaki, in June 2007, based on the draft report.
The story was published despite a covering letter attached to the report stated it had been provided in confidence, and the TAIC contacting The Dominion Post to advise it could be committing an offence.
In a judgment released today, Wellington District Court Judge John Walker said it was important for the court to send a clear message that confidentiality requirements would be treated seriously.
He set the starting point for the fine at $15,000, reduced to $10,000 because of Fairfax's guilty plea.
Fairfax was also ordered to pay $130 court costs and a $250 solicitor's fee.
- NZPA
Fairfax fined $10k for Dominion Post breach
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