ABC managing director David Anderson has told a Senate Estimates committee that its case with Former Attorney General Christian Porter has so far cost it $780,000.
He said, “the total so far, both paid as well as accrued, is approximately $680,000, and that’s before the payment of $100,000.”
The payment of $100,000 is to cover Porter’s mediation costs.
These payments come after Porter – who now holds the portfolio for industry, science, and technology – ended his defamation case against the ABC. The case centered on a story they published surrounding an unnamed Cabinet Member accused of historic alleged rape.
Porter then named himself as the Cabinet Member in question. He has strenuously denied the allegations.
Since ending the case, the two parties have disputed the details of mediation.
In a press conference Porter said it was “a humiliating backdown” for the ABC.
In response, the ABC said that it “stands by the importance of the article, which reported on matters of significant public interest.”
In the Senate committee, Anderson maintained this stance.
He said, “the ABC has not issued an apology, the ABC stands by its journalism, the article in question remains online, it remains unchanged and available for everyone to see it.”
“On behalf of the ABC, I’m not humiliated and we do not regret the article.”
