Jordan Shanks, aka Friendlyjordies, has faced his first setback in the defamation case bought against him by NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro.
On Friday Justice Steven Rares found that Shanks could not use his planned defence of truth and honest opinion because it could potentially breach parliamentary privilege.
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Justice Rares found that privilege prevents Shanks from using the defences of truth and honest opinion.
Justice Rares also ordered the YouTuber to pay Barilaro’s fees for the hearing.
Shanks should not struggle to pay these fees, as he has already raised over $1 million dollars in crowdfunding, for his defence.
Barilaro is suing Shanks because of two YouTube videos he uploaded on his Friendlyjodies channel last year, called Bruz, and Secret Dictatorship.
According to Barilaro’s lawyers, the videos imply he is “corrupt” and has “committed perjury.”
Justice Rares then gave Shanks two weeks to file a new defence.
While Shanks has yet to publically comment, he did retweet this on Twitter.
Not only that, the truth he can’t argue is a mistruth an MP said in parliament which has been categorically demonstrated to have been been a mistruth. https://t.co/IXY0C6fyPR
— Justin Field (@justinrfield) August 13, 2021
