Defamation and Not-for-profits - Oct 2026

About this event

Your reputation is one of your most valuable assets. Whether it's trust from your members, your donors, or the wider community - once it's damaged, it is difficult to rebuild. But defamation risk cuts both ways: your organisation could be the target of harmful statements, or it could inadvertently expose itself to a claim through its own communications.

This session, delivered by MinterEllison in partnership with Justice Connect, is designed specifically for the not-for-profit sector. It uses real-world examples based on common questions from not-for-profits, so you’ll leave with practical tips you can use in your day-to-day work.

Here is what participants thought:

• A topic that everyone knows too little about handled in a very practical and erudite manner!”

• "Presenters were very knowledgeable, and the webinar was a good introduction/overview of defamation”

• "The information was relevant, and the speakers provided practical advice and guidance as well as examples of the topics of discussion.”

MinterEllison will cover:

• What is defamation?

• Who can sue?

• Key defences

• How to manage defamation risks in tricky situations, including:

  • Community and member disputes – what can you do if someone is making allegations?

  • Complaints – what can your board say, and who can you say it to?

  • Social media – what should you be aware of when posting online, or managing comments on your pages? 

  • Employees and volunteers – what happens if someone posts something risky online?

  • Media enquiries – how can you respond safely to the media?

You'll receive:

• 75 minutes of plain-language training from a lawyer

• Copy of webinar recording (accessible for 3 months) and slide handout

• Information on further resources and support

Who should attend:

CEOs, senior managers, communications staff, and Board members in not-for-profit organisations.

Can't make it live on the day? That's ok! Everyone who registers receives the post-webinar email containing the recording, slide handout and other information and resources, so you can catch up whenever it suits you.

Registrations close at 12:00pm AEST on the day of the webinar.