Guidelines
3. Civil law matters
3.14. Public Interest
The following are guiding principles for determining whether the "public interest" requirement is satisfied:
- Public interest is something of serious concern common to the public at large or a significant section of the public, such as a disadvantaged or marginalised group.
- For something to be of “public interest” it must amount to more than a private right or individual interest, although the two may coincide.
- For something to be of “public interest” it must amount to more than something merely “of interest to the public”, although again, the two may coincide.
- There may be competing public interests in any one case that have to be weighed against each other.
Date Last Published: 06/12/2010