Senator targeted council head for ‘political purposes’
The boss of a major Indigenous land council has slammed an outspoken Liberal senator for targeting him politically and “escalating” unsubstantiated claims about his dismissal.
Liberal senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price is being sued for defamation by Central Land Council chief executive Lesley Turner over a press statement claiming a motion of no confidence had been passed against her in July 2024.
Council chief executive Matthew Palmer had previously issued his own statement containing the same defamatory claim captured by Senator Nampijinpa Price and reported by News Corp-owned NT News and the ABC.
“Did you accuse him of targeting you for political purposes?” Mr Turner was asked by the senator’s lawyer, Peter Gray SC, as the libel trial continued.
“Yes,” he replied.
The court was told he described the pain caused by Mr Palmer and Senator Nampijinpa Price’s comments at an executive council meeting the month after they were made to the media.
“I mentioned that this was more declared by Senator (Nampijinpa) Price,” he testified.
“He was making a big deal out of the issue, which was unfair and hurtful.”
At a male-only council meeting on July 18, 2024, Mr. Palmer discussed getting rid of Mr. Turner.
Although the public claimed that a motion had been made to dismiss the chief executive, the council denied this through media reports and internal correspondence.
The council represents 24,000 Indigenous people living in the southern half of the NT and covers a huge area that includes Alice Springs, where Senator Nampijinpa Price is based.
The NT News article saying Mr Turner had been sacked was later removed by the publication and an apology was issued.
Mr Turner said on Thursday he was shocked, hurt, appalled and angry by the NT News report.
He reached a settlement with the newspaper and was only suing Senator Nampijinpa Price for defamation.
The senator has withdrawn the truth defense in the case and is relying on the qualified privilege defense to avoid court-ordered prejudice.
He denied being harmed by Mr Turner’s behaviour.
The Australian National Audit Office’s findings that the council did not have adequate fraud protections were “particularly devastating” to the chief executive’s management, the senator wrote in a submission to the court.
The senator suggested a process be carried out to determine who can receive royalty payments because traditional owners are vulnerable to corruption.
In his statement, Mr. Turner called those sentiments offensive, misinformed and hypocritical.
“There’s only one side insulting the other side, and that’s not senator (Nampijinpa) Price,” Mr. Gray said.
The land council boss refused.
While Mr Palmer will be removed as chairman in September 2024 following a council meeting in Tennant Creek, he remains in his post.
The hearing continues on Friday.
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