Lambie book deal in court

Messenger takes legal action

FORMER Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie and her former adviser are heading to court this week over a $4000 claim relating to a book contract.

Rob Messenger and Ms Lambie, who is now working to get Jacqui Lambie Network candidates into State Parliament, are due in the Burnie Magistrate’s Court for mediation talks tomorrow.

The particulars of Mr Messenger’s claim state that a contract for him to write the then senator’s autobiography was signed in Burnie in February last year.

The book was to be 80,000 to 90,000 words and be published by Allen and Unwin Publishers.

Mr Messenger claims he was promised three separate financial instalments totalling $12,000 – one at the start of the assignment, one on delivery and a final one when the book was published.

He needed to deliver an electronic typescript autobio- graphy to the senator by June 30 last year.

The date set for Mr Messenger to complete the work was then cancelled by mutual agreement after the doubledissolution federal election was called for July.

Mr Messenger says in his claim he still managed to deliver a first draft of about 17,000 words in January this year and it was well received by the publishers.

In May, Mr Messenger and his wife Fern were advised by email and letter that they no longer had a job at then senator Lambie’s Burnie office.

That matter has been pro- cessed by the Fair Work Commission and will now be heard in the Federal Court of Australia.

Mr Messenger said after he left the position he was told by the publishers then senator Lambie had rejected the latest chapters of his book and no longer wanted to continue with the deal.

Mr Messenger delivered the final draft in late May and his solicitor demanded the second $4000 payment, which he says has not yet been received.

Ms Lambie told the Mercury she could not comment on the issue while it was before the court.