Actor Rebel Wilson has won a second court case over her directorial debut, The Deb. UK production company AI Film sued her in the Supreme Court of NSW for $15 million, but Justice Elisabeth Peden dismissed the claim. The court found AI Film had not shown that Ms Wilson's statements caused it financial loss. The company was awarded $10 in nominal damages for technical breaches of its social media contract. Ms Wilson's company, Camp Sugar, was awarded $359,000 in unpaid producer fees and her legal costs.
Actor Rebel Wilson has won a legal dispute with the co-producers of her film The Deb. Justice Elisabeth Peden ordered the producers to pay $10 in damages and dismissed their summons in the NSW Supreme Court. The judge also awarded Wilson $359,000 plus interest, with a written judgement to follow. The producers alleged that Wilson made false and derogatory online statements that hurt the film's box office. Wilson denied the claims and countersued, alleging theft, bullying and sexual misconduct by the producers. It is her second court win this year, after she was cleared of defaming co-star Charlotte MacInnes.
Rebel Wilson has been ordered to pay her co-producers $10 in damages after a legal dispute over her film The Deb. A New South Wales judge dismissed the co-producers' claims in a brief decision, and a written judgment will follow. Wilson had countersued, and the court awarded her $359,000 plus interest. The co-producers allege that Wilson's public statements caused the film's poor box office takings, which she denies. Wilson said defending herself had come at a heavy personal, emotional and financial cost.
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Former SAS soldier Ben Roberts-Smith has told radio host Ben Fordham he considered suicide for several months after being accused of war crimes. Roberts-Smith, who was arrested in April and charged over the alleged murders of five unarmed detainees in Afghanistan, denies any wrongdoing. He said he decided against suicide because he saw it as surrender. He criticised the decade-long investigation into alleged Australian war crimes and the federal government's changes to war crimes laws. Earlier, a Federal Court judge found he was responsible for several killings in a defamation case.
Ben Roberts-Smith has said his failed defamation case cost billionaire Kerry Stokes upwards of $30 million. Stokes had backed the case, including by paying legal bills. In a radio interview with 2GB, Roberts-Smith said he would not change anything in his military career. He faces five counts of war crime murder linked to his Afghanistan deployments between 2009 and 2012, which he denies. Prosecutors allege the victims were unarmed Afghan nationals. The case returns to court in December.
Ben Roberts-Smith says he lost his defamation case against Nine newspapers because he did not understand the civil court system, not because he is guilty. In a two-and-a-half-hour interview with 2GB broadcaster Ben Fordham, he denied murdering Afghan prisoners. A Federal Court judge found he was responsible for four unlawful killings on the balance of probabilities. He faces five counts of the war crime of murder, which he vehemently denies. He has not yet stood trial.
A Canberra Facebook group with more than 10,000 members has drawn criticism after a weekend of sexually suggestive posts and personal allegations naming individuals. Member Jonathan Mutton called for clearer rules and more consistent moderation, questioning whether administrators were reviewing content. Members said no administrators were listed for the group. The objectionable posts were not reported or removed for more than 48 hours. Another Canberra group recently said it would publish profiles of members who post abusive comments under nicknames. Lawyers have warned that defamation action over social media comments can be costly and slow.
Ben Roberts-Smith has launched EPIC 1 TWO, an online clothing label selling T-shirts, hoodies and trucker hats priced from $49 to $85. The name comes from his military radio call sign. He said the brand was partly a way to make money for his family. The launch comes as he faces five counts of war crime murder over alleged conduct in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012. He has consistently denied wrongdoing and says he will keep fighting the allegations.
City of Melville councillor Scott Green is pushing for changes to WA's defamation laws. He wants the council to back a call for the State Government to amend the Defamation Act 2005 and to seek support from the WA Local Government Association. Green says WA is the only state yet to adopt a serious harm test, which allows claims to be dismissed early elsewhere. His motion is due before the council on October 20. City staff said the State Government is already drafting reforms and suggested the council work through WALGA.
The High Court has rejected Mark Latham's application for special leave to appeal a defamation ruling against Sydney MP Alex Greenwich. Latham must pay $140,000 for a homophobic tweet that exposed Greenwich to hatred and ridicule. The court found Latham's appeal had insufficient prospects of success and ordered him to pay costs. Greenwich welcomed the decision, stating it reinforced consequences for hateful and defamatory conduct in Australian political discourse.
The High Court has rejected Mark Latham's bid to appeal a defamation ruling against gay MP Alex Greenwich. The court found the case lacked sufficient prospects of success. Latham, a NSW MP, was ordered to pay Greenwich's legal costs, expected to exceed $500,000, after a 2023 tweet was deemed defamatory. Greenwich welcomed the decision, stating it reinforced consequences for hateful conduct in politics.
