Note: the following story mentions sexual assault.
After weeks of vigorously resisting calls for an independent inquiry into a historical rape allegation, Attorney-General Christian Porter threw a curve ball yesterday when he filed a defamation action against the ABC and journalist Louise Milligan.
If Porter’s claim proceeds to trial (and that’s a big if), it could act something like an inquiry putting the deceased victim’s friends and confidants on the stand and scrutinising the details behind her complaint in open court.
It means the Porter affair may not go away for many years.
But the attorney-general has a star-studded legal team and Australia’s traditionally plaintiff-friendly defamation law on side. For now, it’s the ABC that is playing catch-up.
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Attorney-General Christian Porter has sent a clear message he is not messing about in a defamation action against the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and journalist Louise Milligan, appointing a top-tier legal team.
Sydney barristers Bret Walker, SC, and Sue Chrysanthou, SC, will act as counsel for Australiaâs first law officer in the Federal Court, while reputation specialist Rebekah Giles, of Company Giles, will act as his solicitor.
Mr Porter is suing the ABC for airing a historic rape allegation against him.
Bret Walker is widely considered in legal circles to be one of Australiaâs best barristers.Â
Penny Bradfield
In a statement of claim lodged on Monday, lawyers for Mr Porter, who is on medical leave, seek damages, including aggravated damages, for a February 26 article published on the ABCâs website, headlined âScott Morrison, senators and AFP told of historical rape allegation against Cabinet Ministerâ.
ABC journalist Louise Milligan, who broke the story, is also named as a party to the lawsuit.
Mr Porter, who is not named in the ABC article, has retained a trio of high-powered lawyers, including Sydney barristers Bret Walker, SC, and Sue Chrysanthou, SC, and solicitor Rebekah Giles.
Attorney-General Christian Porter is expected to give evidence in the proceedings.