ABC reporter Louise Milligan has agreed to pay $79,000 to settle a defamation case by Liberal party MP Andrew Laming over what he called spiteful and accusatory tweets, but the agreement does not include an admission of liability, a court heard on Wednesday.
Former Attorney-General Christian Porter has succeeded in scrubbing from the court record the ABC’s full defence in his now-settled defamation suit against the broadcaster, over the protests of media outlets, with a judge finding the principle of open justice was “not absolute”.
Confidential portions of the ABC’s defence in the former Attorney-General Christian Porter’s defamation case can be disclosed to the South Australian State Coroner as part of his investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Porter’s alleged rape victim.
Media companies seeking access to the ABC’s unredacted defence in a now-settled defamation case brought by Christian Porter told a judge the principle of open justice required that the pleading be made public, while the former attorney-general argued there was no “superior” public interest in airing the document.
The dossier by the woman who accused former Attorney-General Christian Porter of rape has been made public in a case brought by the woman’s friend against his star defamation barrister.
Jo Dyer, a friend of the woman who accused Christian Porter of rape, has threatened to sue the former attorney-general for defamation over public statements he made during his now discontinued defamation battle against the ABC.
Federal government minister Christian Porter has discontinued his defamation action against the ABC and Louise Milligan, just days after a court ruled that silk Sue Chrysanthou could not represent him.
Lawyers retained by former attorney-general Christian Porter have accused the ABC of making “improper” allegations against Porter’s counsel, who is facing calls for her to return her brief to act for him in defamation proceedings against the national broadcaster.
A judge has temporarily adjourned former attorney-general Christian Porter’s defamation lawsuit against the ABC over its coverage of historic rape allegations pending the outcome of a separate legal challenge over whether barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC can represent him in the case.
The woman bringing court action seeking to stop Christian Porter’s senior barrister from acting for the former attorney-general in his defamation case against the ABC has attacked suggestions that she strategically delayed bringing the conflict of interest challenge.