What is the defence of qualified privilege against defamatory statements?

The defence of qualified privilege ensures that persons who have an interest in conducting their affairs and protecting their interests are able to honestly state their opinion, even though such statements, if made elsewhere on other occasions, might be defamatory. This principle is articulated in Willows v. Williams as follows: It would be difficult, if not impossible, to hold effective meetings of town councils, or school boards, or hospital boards, or other public bodies if the members of those bodies were precluded from honestly stating to the other members matters which might affect the administration of those bodies, even though such statements, if made elsewhere on other occasions, might be defamatory. The plaintiff’s argument on qualified privilege