Sky News has paid green Senator Sarah Hanson-young 40k in damages, to avoid a potential defamation case.
The settlement comes after Sky News incorrectly reported that Hanson-Young had involved her 7-year-old niece in an allegedly dangerous environmental protest.
The error came from an interview between Sky News Host, Rita Panahi and Liberal Senator Johnathon Dunium.
The interview led to Panahi alleging that protestors at an anti-logging protest were allowing young children to be put in harm’s way.
Senator Duniam then alleged that young children were walking around a dangerous worksite.
According to, The Sydney Morning Herald, Senator Duniam said: “What concerns me more is this happens to be the niece of an Australian senator, I understand,” he said.
“So, I say to Sarah Hanson-Young and all other Green Senators: ‘Clean up your act, and make sure you do what the rest of us think is the right thing to do as parents, don’t put your kid in harm’s way.’”
The statement was false.
Today, Sky News issued an public apology and announced it would pay the politician $40,000 in damages and her legal costs.
Sarah Hanson-Young took to Twitter to celebrate her win and announced she would be donating the funds to the Australian Youth Climate Coalition.
My full response to Sky News apology, after they defamed me and my family is below.
Their attack was grubby politics and gutter journalism.
We are proud as a family to donate monies paid by the Murdoch company to help the important work of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition👇 pic.twitter.com/aTwX2SWeuH— 💚🌏 Sarah Hanson-Young (@sarahinthesen8) July 29, 2021
Hanson-Young has a history of standing up for herself, she previously won a defamation case against David Leyonhjelm.
