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Turner’s defamation suit, launched last September, alleges he has been “seriously injured in his character and in his personal and professional reputation” by suggestions that he was unfit to serve as chief executive and had lost the support of his members.
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The claim describes Price’s conduct as “improper, unjustified or lacking in bona fides” and says she failed to check the accuracy of her claims before issuing the press release.
“The respondent has not retracted, or apologised, despite being told unequivocally on 22 July 2024 by the [Central Land Council] that her claims were false,” Turner’s claim states.
Price has dropped her truth and honest opinion defences and will be solely relying on the defence of qualified privilege.
Her court filing says she was acting on information provided to her by the land council’s then-chair, raising “issues of significant and immediate public interest that required her comment as shadow minister for Indigenous Australians and Senator for Northern Territory.”
Her statement of defence further alleges deficiencies in the Central Land Council’s approach to fraud risk.
The parties were ordered to take part in mediation, but a defamation trial is now set down for October in Darwin.
“Please think of me, but know that I’ll be walking into that courtroom proudly with my head held high,” Price wrote. “Why? Because I’m doing it for you.”
Turner, through his lawyers, declined to comment. A spokeswoman for Price said the senator could be forced to pay damages and legal costs if unsuccessful.
“The costs associated with defending a defamation proceeding like this are unknown but can be significant,” the spokeswoman said. “Bankruptcy is a possible consequence.”
Price says she was raising matters of public interest. The Land Council’s chief executive Les Turner says she did not check her facts. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
Price has been mooted as a future leader, and former prime minister Tony Abbott backed her failed bid to become the deputy Liberal leader after the election in May. But her influence has diminished under Sussan Ley, who relegated her to the outer opposition ministry as spokesperson for defence industry when she won the leadership.
The senator was one of the Coalition’s most powerful fundraisers in the lead-up to the May election, commanding up to $10,000 a head for a private dinner. But a gaffe weeks out from the poll, in which she pledged to “make Australia great again”, was seen as damaging to the Coalition’s campaign.
Price’s warning about the defamation suit follows the successful action brought by Victorian MP Moira Deeming against John Pesutto, a former Liberal opposition leader.
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