Christian Porter seeking damages from ABC and Louise Milligan
Attorney-General Christian Porter has launched a major defamation action against the ABC and journalist Louise Milligan.
The proceedings have accused the ABC of publishing an online article that allegedly portrayed him as the perpetrator the “brutal” rape of a woman, that resulted in her taking her life.
The article published a letter that had been sent to Prime Minister Scott Morrison containing a historical allegation that a woman was raped by a serving Cabinet minister.
While Mr Porter has denied the allegations, and the article did not name the Attorney-General as the perpetrator, his lawyers have argued that it was easy to identify him as the accused.
Mr Porter is currently on medical leave and seeking damages for the article that was published on February 26 article under the headline “Scott Morrison, senators and AFP told of historical rape allegation against Cabinet Minister”.
ABC journalist Louise Milligan was the one who broke the historical story and is also named as a party to the lawsuit.
Mr Porter is being defended by a number of high-profile lawyer including Sydney barristers Bret Walker, SC, and Sue Chrysanthou, SC, and solicitor Rebekah Giles.
“Over the last few weeks, the Attorney-General has been subjected to trial by media without regard to the presumption of innocence or the rules of evidence and without any proper disclosure of the material said to support the untrue allegations,” Ms Giles said in a statement on Monday.
“The trial by media should now end with the commencement of these proceedings.”
Ms Giles said “the claims made by the ABC and Ms Milligan will be determined in a court in a procedurally fair process”.
It is understood that Mr Porter will give evidence in the proceedings.
She foreshadowed that Mr Porter would give evidence in the proceedings.
Ms Chrysanthou and Ms Giles have acted successfully for a series of high-profile defamation plaintiffs, many of them women, including Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young against former Liberal Democratic Party senator David Leyonhjelm.
Two weeks ago, Mr Porter came forward as the Cabinet minister that was referenced in the letter that made the historical allegation.
"I can say categorically that what has been put in various forms and allegations simply did not happen," he said.
An ABC spokesperson said: “The ABC will be defending the action.”