Orthopaedic surgeon Dr Munjed Al Muderis has lost his defamation case against Nine, the publisher of this website.

Al Muderis brought a lawsuit against 60 Minutes, The Sydney Morning Herald, and The Age due to a series of September 2022 reports that he alleges damaged his reputation and set back advancements in the field of prosthetic limbs by two decades.

Nine defended the claims as true or otherwise protected as journalism in the public interest.

“I accept the journalists’ evidence that they each genuinely believed that the publications served the public interest,” stated Justice Wendy Abraham as she delivered her ruling.

“The positive media coverage his practice had enjoyed needed correcting, and that the investigation revealed another side of his practice.”

This case was one of the first tests of a public interest defence for reporting.

A spokesperson for Nine commented: “Nine’s win today, based on the defense of public interest, represents a pivotal moment in Australian defamation case law. We remain committed to supporting our journalism.”