Trial over Facebook memes wraps up
AFTER 30 days of court hearings over the course of almost seven months, a landmark defamation trial brought by retired LGAQ boss Greg Hallam against Cairns councillor Rob Pyne and Tablelands resident Lyn O’Connor is at an end.
But there will be a lengthy wait between now and any judgment handed down by District Court Judge Dean Morzone QC, with parties to make written and oral submissions over the coming months before he can finally consider his decision.
Mr Pyne, who was a state MP when he is alleged to have defamed Mr Hallam in a series of Facebook posts, finished being cross-examined by the now-retired Local Government Association of Queensland CEO’s barrister Michael Amerena on Friday, concluding the trial.
Mr Hallam has argued social media posts by both Mr Pyne and Ms O’Connor falsely questioned his integrity, including one likening him to intergalactic Star Wars gangster Jabba the Hutt.
“It’s a bit like when you’re drowning but you get to come up for a breath of air,” Mr Pyne said of the trial’s end, adding that he would now be able to once again focus on his work as a councillor.
Mr Pyne remained defiant in the courtroom throughout this week, arguing the defamation trial was intrinsically linked to issues of freedom of speech.
Mr Amerena in court on Friday placed before Mr Pyne a collection of his social media posts, suggesting he had engaged in “a running commentary of this case” and that he had been “mocking Mr Hallam”.
“I’ve been mocking his intentions,” Mr Pyne replied.
“You’ve been mocking him, haven’t you,” Mr Amerena followed up.
“I’ve been mocking his perceived concern about comments on social media among people he refers to as the great unwashed army and the peanut gallery,” Mr Pyne said.