Liberal senator ‘didn’t care’ press release was wrong, court told
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“After insisting on Friday that he had done nothing wrong, he finally admitted that there was no vote, no motion was moved,” Chrysanthou said. “This is all about the extent of damage.”
Before the hearing, Price left the defense of truthfulness and honest opinion to the defamation case.
In documents filed with the court, Turner said the press release included a number of false and defamatory allegations about him, including that he “no longer enjoys the support of the majority of members of the Central Land Council due to his unprofessional conduct in this role”.
Price acknowledged that this allegation was forwarded and does not attempt to prove it is true. Instead, it seeks to rely on the defense of qualified privilege, which protects some broadcasts that are in the public interest where the broadcaster acted reasonably. In this case, reasonableness is expected to be the most important battleground.
During cross-examination on Monday, Price denied being part of a “coup” attempt to replace Turner with Gavin Morris, principal of Alice Springs’ Yipirinya School for Native Children.
The court heard Morris, who has since left the school and was found guilty this month of four counts of aggravated assault on pupils at the school while he was headteacher, was “desperate” to leave the school and wanted Turner’s job.
Les Turner outside the Federal Court in Darwin.Credit: David Hancock
The court heard Morris informed Price about the planned “coup” to oust Turner before Turner made his media statement.
But Price gave evidence that he was only interested in what the land council president said about Turner, not Morris’s intentions. He said in a text message before releasing his media statement that he did not support Morris over Turner.
Damian Wilks, Price’s senior adviser, testified Tuesday that Morris acted as a “facilitator and intermediary” between Palmer and the senator’s office.
The court heard that Wilks helped draft a media statement issued by Palmer before Price released his own statement, and that it was Morris who sent him the draft.
Wilks said he had not been told Morris wanted to replace Turner as chairman of the Central Land Council. Price’s office said it became aware of the accusations against Morris in August 2024, after he issued the press release criticizing Turner.
The trial continues.
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