Beware the tides of March Crikey 15/03/2021 MARCHING ORDERS
Note: This story discusses sexual assault.
Thousands are expected to march on state and federal parliament houses today following a slew of government assault and harassment allegations, with
Guardian Australia reports that 5000 protesters, mostly women, took part in Perth’s rally yesterday.
Event organiser Dr Kate Ahmad explained in
Crikey last week that March4Justice is based in part on “dehumanising” responses to allegations against politicians, and protesters will deliver Parliament a petition with demands including a federal Gender Equality Act and strengthening of accountability for parliamentarians and judges in the
Sex Discrimination Act.
Porter is claiming that an article published last month included false allegations against him in relation to a historical rape. A statement from his lawyer says although Porter was not named, the article made allegations against a senior cabinet minister “and the attorney-general was easily identifiable to many Australians”.
So, how does defamation law work, what is its impact on the media, and why has Australia been labelled the defamation capital of the world?
What is considered defamatory?
Defamation can be defined as a false statement about a person to their discredit. The legal action has three elements for the complainant to prove: publication, identification, and defamatory meaning. Significantly, the falseness of the published material is presumed.
BBC News
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media captionWatch: Australian women protest sexual assault
Tens of thousands of people have turned out to marches across Australia, protesting against the sexual abuse and harassment of women in the country.
They were spurred by a recent wave of allegations of sexual assault, centred around Australia s parliament.
The allegations have focused scrutiny on the conservative government.
The protests were organised a week ago, after Attorney General Christian Porter revealed he was the subject of a 1988 rape allegation - which he denies.
A separate case - that of Brittany Higgins, an ex-political adviser who alleged in February that she was raped in a minister s office in 2019 - has also fuelled public anger.
After Women s March 4 Justice, it is clear anger runs deep â so what happens next?
MonMonday 15
updated
MonMonday 15
MarMarch 2021 at 9:27am
Many speakers and marchers â including Grace Tame and Brittany Higgins â have made it chillingly clear that women s anger runs deep.
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Brittany Higgins, the former Liberal staffer whose rape allegations sparked a national discussion about sexual harassment and assault in politics, made a surprise return to Canberra on Monday to speak at one of several March 4 Justice rallies held across the country. We are all here today not because we want to be here, but because we have to be here, Ms Higgins told a crowd of thousands outside Parliament House â the place where she was allegedly assaulted in 2019. We fundamentally recognise the system is broken, the glass ceiling is still in place, and there are significant failings in the power structures within our institution, she said.
Australians rally at Parliament to demand justice for women
ROD McGUIRK, Associated Press
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1of17Thousands of people with placards and banners rally demanding justice for women in Sydney, Monday, March 15, 2021, as the government reels from two separate allegations. The rally was one of several across Australia including in Canberra, Melbourne, Brisbane and Hobart calling out sexism, misogyny and dangerous workplace cultures.Rick Rycroft/APShow MoreShow Less
2of17Thousands of people with placards and banners rally demanding justice for women in Sydney, Monday, March 15, 2021, as the government reels from two separate allegations. The rally was one of several across Australia including in Canberra, Melbourne, Brisbane and Hobart calling out sexism, misogyny and dangerous workplace cultures.Rick Rycroft/APShow MoreShow Less