Category Archives: Defamation law (Australia)

Jacinta Nampijinpa Price to pay federal court over delay in defamation defence

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Legal team for NT senator and shadow Indigenous Australians minister failed to file defence on time

The Northern Territory senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has been ordered to pay up by the federal court, before a defamation suit against her has properly begun.

The shadow Indigenous Australians minister is being sued by the Central Land Council chief executive, Lesley Turner, over a media release which he claims defamed him.

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Moira Deeming created ‘extreme’ political problem akin to ‘lobster with a mobster’ incident, defamation trial told

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John Pesutto had to ‘cauterise the damage’ to the Victorian Liberal party caused by MP’s conduct, lawyer argues

John Pesutto’s lawyer has rejected claims the Victorian Liberal leader created a “false narrative” in order to expel Moira Deeming, telling a court he acted to “cauterise the damage” after neo-Nazis gatecrashed a rally the MP helped organise.

Deeming, who now sits on the crossbench after her expulsion from the state parliamentary Liberal party, is suing Pesutto for allegedly falsely portraying her as a Nazi sympathiser after she spoke at the Let Women Speak rally held on 18 March 2023, which was gatecrashed by neo-Nazis. Pesutto has denied the claim.

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Peta Credlin texted warning about Moira Deeming expulsion to Victorian Liberal leader’s staffer, court hears

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Defamation trial told of message from Sky News host to John Pesutto’s chief of staff while helping to set up office

Sky News host Peta Credlin warned against expelling Moira Deeming from the Victorian Liberal party room in a text message to John Pesutto’s chief of staff, whose office she was then helping to set up, a court has heard.

Deeming, now an independent MP after her expulsion, is suing the Victorian opposition leader for allegedly falsely portraying her as a Nazi sympathiser after she spoke at the Let Women Speak rally held on 18 March 2023, which was gatecrashed by neo-Nazis. Pesutto has rejected the allegation.

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Walkley-award winning journalist to investigate potential issues in ABC’s Line of Fire reports

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Alan Sunderland to undertake independent review of online article and 7.30 story about an Australian military operation in Afghanistan

The ABC has appointed veteran journalist and media executive Alan Sunderland to undertake an independent review of the broadcaster’s Line of Fire reports about an Australian military operation in Afghanistan.

The Line of Fire reports concern an online article and 7.30 story by one of the ABC’s most experienced journalists, Mark Willacy from the ABC’s Investigations unit.

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Moira Deeming kept ‘Liberal party mentor’ Peta Credlin in the loop ‘at all times’ amid Nazi stoush, court hears

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Trial shown messages between MP and Sky News host discussing defamation action against Victorian Liberal leader John Pesutto

Moira Deeming viewed the Sky News host Peta Credlin as a Liberal party “mentor” when the pair liaised after the MP was ousted by the Victorian party last year, the federal court has heard.

Deeming is suing the Victorian Liberal leader, John Pesutto, for allegedly falsely portraying her as a Nazi sympathiser after she helped organise and spoke at the “Let Women Speak” rally on 18 March 2023 which was gatecrashed by neo-Nazis. She was expelled from the party less than two months later after initially being suspended in the days after the rally.

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Moira Deeming agrees her trans and gender-diverse views are ‘controversial’ as cross-examination begins

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Expelled Liberal MP testifies in high-stakes defamation case against Victorian opposition leader John Pesutto

Ousted Victorian Liberal MP Moira Deeming agreed her views on transgender and gender-diverse people were “controversial” within the party, as she began giving evidence in a high-stakes defamation battle.

Deeming is suing the state Liberal leader, John Pesutto, for allegedly falsely portraying her as a Nazi sympathiser after she spoke at the March 2023 “Let Women Speak” rally that was gatecrashed by neo-Nazis. She was expelled from the party less than two months later after initially being suspended.

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Central Land Council CEO launches defamation case against Jacinta Price

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Lesley Turner says July media release from shadow minister for Indigenous Australians injured his ‘personal and professional reputation’

The chief executive officer of the Central Land Council has launched a federal case against Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price over allegations she defamed him in a media release in July.

The CEO, Lesley Turner, said the release, which has now been taken offline but was mentioned in two NT News articles, incorrectly reported that a no-confidence motion had been moved by members of the council against him.

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This article was amended on 7 September 2024 to correct the name of the land council staff member quoted by Jacinta Nampijinpa Price in her press release.

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Linda Reynolds v Brittany Higgins defamation trial to hear final arguments

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The five-week trial is scheduled to conclude after Reynolds’ lawyer Martin Bennett delivers his last remarks

Western Australia’s supreme court is on Wednesday due to hear the last arguments in the defamation trial brought by the Liberal senator Linda Reynolds against Brittany Higgins, before the judge begins his deliberations.

The five-week trial, which began at the start of August, is scheduled to conclude after Reynolds’ lawyer, Martin Bennett, delivers his final remarks.

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Sky News’ Peta Credlin helped draft Brittany Higgins’ 2021 media statement, court told

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Lawyer for Linda Reynolds tells defamation trial Credlin was told ‘completely rework wherever you see fit’

The Sky News columnist and former chief of staff to Tony Abbott Peta Credlin helped draft Brittany Higgins’ statement given to media in 2021, after her rape allegations were made public, a court has been told.

In closing arguments to Western Australia’s supreme court, where Linda Reynolds is suing Higgins for defamation, Reynolds’ lawyer Martin Bennett on Tuesday said Higgins had a “visceral hatred” towards her former employer and exaggerated how long she had to wait for counselling support following her rape allegations to “suit” her narrative.

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Linda Reynolds failed to offer a ‘basic human response’ after Brittany Higgins’ rape allegations, court told

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Higgins’ lawyer also tells defamation trial Reynolds was an unreliable witness and harassed Higgins by leaking documents

Linda Reynolds’ engaged in a “campaign of harassment” against her former staffer, Brittany Higgins, and had a “dogged focus” on the “wrong target”, a court has heard.

And Reynolds failed to offer a “basic human response” by following up with Higgins about her welfare after a meeting they had about her rape allegation, Higgins’ lawyer, Rachael Young SC, said.

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Closing arguments expected to be heard on Monday in Reynolds v Higgins defamation trial

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Linda Reynolds has argued that social media posts by former staffer contained mistruths that damaged her reputation – which Brittany Higgins denies

Closing arguments in a defamation case brought against Brittany Higgins by her former boss the Liberal senator Linda Reynolds are expected to be heard on Monday.

Reynolds is suing Higgins over social media posts made after the former political staffer alleged she had been raped by her colleague Bruce Lehrmann in the then defence minister’s office in Parliament House.

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Brittany Higgins had counselling days after her alleged rape, court hears

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Lawyer Rachael Young tells the court Higgins had encountered a delay in accessing parliament’s employee assistance program

Brittany Higgins had counselling within days of her alleged rape in Parliament House, a defamation trial has been told.

Higgins is being sued by her former boss, senator Linda Reynolds, over a series of social media posts the ex-defence minister alleged damaged her reputation.

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Albanese given taxpayer-funded legal help after defamation threat from John Margerison

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Attorney general approves legal assistance ‘in relation to a defamation claim’ made against PM, along with approval for claims against Bill Shorten

The attorney general has approved legal assistance for Anthony Albanese and Bill Shorten in relation to defamation threats by a business associate of the former Liberal minister Stuart Robert.

On 12 August Mark Dreyfus approved assistance “in relation to a defamation claim” made against the prime minister on 23 July and for defamation claims on 23 and 25 July against Shorten, the government services and national disability insurance scheme minister, according to documents tabled to parliament.

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Brittany Higgins told journalist who broke alleged rape story Linda Reynolds ‘hated’ her, court hears

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Journalist Samantha Maiden was called to give evidence in the WA senator’s defamation trial against her former staffer

Brittany Higgins felt toxic and told the journalist who broke the story about her alleged rape in Parliament House that Senator Linda Reynolds hated her.

The senator is suing Higgins, her former staffer – who is defending the claim – over a series of social media posts containing alleged mistruths that she believes damaged her reputation.

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Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organisations. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html

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Brittany Higgins will no longer give evidence at Linda Reynolds’ defamation trial, lawyer tells court

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Rachael Young tells court Higgins’ ‘medical state’ forms part of the reasoning behind no longer calling her to give evidence

Brittany Higgins will not testify to defend herself at a defamation trial brought against her by former boss, the Liberal senator Linda Reynolds.

Reynolds is suing her former staffer over a series of social media posts Higgins made after she aired allegations she had been raped by former colleague Bruce Lehrmann in the then defence minister’s office.

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Senator and former MP to testify in Linda Reynolds’ defamation trial against Brittany Higgins

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Retired Liberal MP Steve Irons and Tasmanian senator Wendy Askew due in WA supreme court witness box on Friday

A federal senator and a retired former assistant minister are set to testify in the high-profile defamation between Linda Reynolds and her former staffer Brittany Higgins.

Senator Reynolds is suing Higgins over a series of social media posts containing alleged mistruths that she believes damaged her reputation.

Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organisations. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html

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Linda Reynolds believed Lehrmann rape trial was politically motivated, psychologist tells defamation trial

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April Jones tells Perth court she started counselling Reynolds after reports of Brittany Higgins’ accusations senator mishandled her rape complaint

Liberal senator Linda Reynolds believed Bruce Lehrmann’s rape trial was politically motivated and Peter Dutton undermined her, a psychologist’s notes read to a defamation trial have revealed.

Senator Reynolds is suing Brittany Higgins for defamation over a series of social media posts containing alleged mistruths that she believes damaged her reputation.

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Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organisations. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html

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Linda Reynolds tells court ‘I wasn’t her counsellor’ as she defends actions following Brittany Higgins’ alleged rape

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Liberal senator is suing former staffer over social media posts she claims damaged her reputation

Linda Reynolds has told a court that she wasn’t Brittany Higgins’ “counsellor” as she defended her actions after her former staffer’s alleged rape in Parliament House.

The Western Australian Liberal senator has also said she would “still do the same thing today” when asked why she had never offered to listen to Higgins’ experience of the night she was allegedly raped.

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Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organisations. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html

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Linda Reynolds says she never agreed to keep letters she leaked to columnist from The Australian newspaper secret

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Senator tells defamation trial she considered a letter from Commonwealth lawyers relating to Brittany Higgins’ settlement an attempt to ‘lock her down’

Linda Reynolds says she never agreed to keeping confidential documents relating to Brittany Higgins’ personal injury settlement private and had “no particular concern” about leaking the letters to a columnist at the Australian.

The Western Australian Liberal senator is suing Higgins over a series of social media posts, published in July 2023, which she claims have damaged her reputation.

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Beyond ‘stretch of imagination’ Brittany Higgins fundraising page part of conspiracy to damage Linda Reynolds, court told

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Communications between Higgins and sexual assault survivor advocate subpoenaed during defamation trial as Reynolds’ lawyer accuses former staffer of trying to ‘capture public opinion’

Any communications between Brittany Higgins and sexual assault survivor advocate, Saxon Mullins, over a newly created page to fundraise for Higgins’ legal costs will be handed over to Linda Reynolds’ legal team, a court has heard.

The Western Australian Liberal senator is suing Higgins for a series of social media posts published in July 2023, which she says damaged her reputation.

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