A judge has questioned an ABC journalist who is the target of a defamation case by ex-commando Heston Russell if he should have treated a key source who another source called a “showpony” more cautiously while reporting on alleged war crimes in Afghanistan.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation has defended its reporting of alleged war crimes in a defamation case by ex-commando Heston Russell, saying the debate over whether its stories were in the public interest “rises well above truth”.
A source for ABC articles over alleged war crimes that are at the centre of a defamation case by ex-commando Heston Russell told reporters his memory of the events was “hazy”, a court heard Friday.
ABC and Network Ten have dropped their fight in a defamation case by former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann over missing CCTV footage from the night of Brittany Higgins’ alleged rape, after learning the footage was automatically overridden.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation has won its “highly unusual” application to reinstate its defence in a defamation case by ex-commando Heston Russell, after dropping it earlier this week in a bid to protect a source’s identity.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation has dropped its only remaining defence in a defamation case by ex-commando Heston Russell over articles that alleged he was involved in war crimes, citing promises to protect a source’s identity.
ABC and Network Ten are “very concerned” that Parliament House claims to not have CCTV footage from the night former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann allegedly raped Brittany Higgins, and have flagged an application to question a government officer over the claim.
The ABC acted with malice when it aired Brittany Higgins’ defamatory National Press Club speech in full, and the broadcaster’s public interest defence won’t save it, accused rapist Bruce Lehrmann has said.
The ABC is relying on a new statutory public interest defence in a defamation case brought by accused rapist Bruce Lehrmann over its coverage of a National Press Club speech by his accuser, former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins.
Former Army major Heston Russell has panned the ABC’s argument that it is not liable to pay damages in his defamation case because he identified himself and was given an opportunity to respond to stories that suggested he was involved in murdering an Afghan prisoner.