Senate case in court

Hanson-Young defamation action against Leyonhjelm opens

A THEN-senator’s comments about Greens MP Sarah Hanson-Young sought to imply she was a narrow-minded, one-dimensional misandrist, her defamation hearing has been told.

David Leyonhjelm’s comments, including saying she said “all men are rapists”, undercut her advocacy for women and children to be safe from violence, Senator Kristina Keneally told the Federal Court in Sydney yesterday.

She was the first witness at the defamation lawsuit brought by Senator Hanson-Young against the former Liberal Democrat senator over comments he made in three media interviews last year and in a media statement.

In the material, he elaborated on his comment to Senator Hanson-Young on the floor of Parliament to “stop shagging men” amid a debate on legislation seeking to prevent violence against women.

She says she was defamed by his portrayal of her as a hypocrite and misandrist, in that he alleges she said words in Parliament that were “tantamount” to claiming all men are rapists but “nevertheless had sexual relations with them”.

Mr Leyonhjelm contends any reputation damage to Senator Hanson-Young arose from her own words when she said “he’s slut-shaming me”.

Her barrister Kieran Smark SC yesterday told Justice Richard White that his client “steadfastly denied” that she made “the absurd” men-arerapists statement, submitting it was up to Mr Leyonhjelm to prove his allegation.

Under cross-examination from Mr Leyonhjelm’s barrister, Tony Morris QC, Senator Keneally agreed “slut-shaming” could refer to a person of low sexual morals and someone taking advantage of that, or to painting someone as having low sexual morals.

She said it was not appropriate for a person’s sexual activity to be used as a political weapon.

The hearing is continuing.