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Porter launches lawsuit against ABC for ‘trial by media’ on alleged rape

Attorney-General Christian Porter has launched defamation action against the ABC and journalist Louise Milligan.

Mar 15, 2021, updated Mar 15, 2021
Attorney-General Christian Porter sued the ABC for defamation. (AAP Image/Richard Wainwright)

Attorney-General Christian Porter sued the ABC for defamation. (AAP Image/Richard Wainwright)

Porter is suing the public broadcaster for publishing “false accusations” against him in an online story that claimed he was the subject of historical rape allegations.

The legal action is also aimed at a report aired in November that alleged he was a misogynist and sexist.

His lawyers have accused the ABC of running a “trial by media” and Milligan of acting with malice, damaging Porter’s reputation.

“If the ABC and Ms Milligan wish to argue the truth of the allegations, they can do so in these proceedings,” lawyer Rebekah Giles said in a statement on Monday.

“Under the Defamation Act it is open for the ABC and Ms Milligan to plead truth in their defence to this action and prove the allegations to the lower civil standard.”

More than 80,000 people have signed a petition calling for Porter to be suspended as attorney-general over the rape allegations he has denied.

The prime minister remains under sustained pressure as he continues to insist police have dealt with the historical allegations and no further action is required.

Porter has taken indefinite mental health leave but Scott Morrison is adamant he will be welcomed back into cabinet.

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham rejected suggestions the government was out of touch with community expectations.

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“I think Australians do expect that proper legal processes should be followed in relation to addressing such allegations,” he told ABC radio.

“Those legal processes have been deployed by the NSW Police as they’ve outlined. Of course, there are also legal processes in relation to the tragic death (of the woman involved) and those processes remain under way in South Australia, and we should let them run their course.”

Porter’s former wife was among thousands of West Australians to march across Perth on Sunday in protest against gender discrimination and violence.

Thousands more are marching on Parliament House in Canberra on Monday.

Other rallies are taking place in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

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