Bruce Lehrmann's loss this week in his legal battle against Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson was the second successive victory for a high-profile media defendant in a defamation case that captivated the nation's legal and journalism elite.
Lerhmann's loss, and Ten's win, come less than a year after the country's most decorated living soldier Ben Roberts-Smith also lost his defamation action against Nine newspapers over a series of reports that alleged he was a war criminal (a decision he is appealing).
The two judgements were huge wins for public interest journalism in a country considered one of the global capitals for defamation action, and where there is a long held perception that laws are stacked against media companies and in favour of plaintiffs.
Marque Lawyers' managing partner Michael Bradley, who last year acted for publisher Crikey against a defamation claim from billionaire media mogul Lachlan Murdoch that was dropped after a settlement, says plaintiffs may now have less confidence in bringing similar cases to court.
