The Daily Mail’s concerted campaign against Erin Molan was a set-up that damaged her reputation and sparked a public “firestorm” against the Nine sports reporter, the Federal Court has heard.
Australian Financial Review columnist Joe Aston sent “very nasty” text messages about venture capitalist Elaine Stead, and any in-person mediation ahead of Stead’s defamation trial is unlikely to be worthwhile given the animosity between the pair, a court has been told.
Nationwide News and journalist Miranda Devine have agreed to pay a “substantial” sum to settle a defamation lawsuit brought by nine-year old Quaden Bayles over Devine’s retweets of conspiracy theories suggesting a video of Bayles posted on social media following a bullying incident were fake.
The chief of the Australian Defence Force has been given the opportunity to put on further evidence after a judge said he would otherwise order that material provided to a war crimes inquiry by Ben Roberts-Smith be produced in the war veteran’s defamation case against three news publishers.
Media companies that are fighting defamation proceedings over articles that accused decorated war veteran Ben Roberts-Smith of war crimes have won court permission to amend their defence to include evidence the soldier was involved in another alleged murder.
Venture capitalist Elaine Stead has refused to go into a second round of mediation in her defamation case against the Nine-owned Fairfax Media Publications saying it would be a “waste of time”.
After claiming he could be vindicated only by giving evidence in open court, war veteran Ben Roberts-Smith looks likely to get his wish, as the parties to his defamation proceedings finalise negotiations with the Federal Government on the use of national security information.
The media companies fighting a defamation lawsuit brought by decorated war veteran Ben Roberts-Smith has accused the former soldier of involvement in two more alleged murders while on duty in Afghanistan, taking the total to seven alleged killings in which he is said to be involved.
A last-minute bid by the Federal Attorney-General to protect national security information has delayed an interlocutory hearing in war veteran Ben Roberts-Smith’s defamation lawsuit, potentially pushing out the trial date.
War veteran Ben Roberts-Smith has told a judge hearing defamation proceedings against several media companies over articles accusing him of war crimes that he can only be vindicated if he is allowed to give evidence in open court, as the Federal Government seeks to impose restrictions on the case due to national security concerns.