It seems like the reform act of 2013 might make these comments in-bounds: Honest opinion: It is a defence for defamation, to show the statement complained of w

It seems like the reform act of 2013 might make these comments in-bounds: Honest opinion: It is a defence for defamation, to show the statement complained of was a statement of opinion; that it indicated, in general or specific terms, the basis of the opinion; that an honest person could have held the opinion on any fact which existed when the statement was published, including any fact in a privileged statement that was pre-published. The defence is defeated if the claimant shows the defendant did not hold the opinion.