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"The issue is, he's alive": AFL mistakenly commemorates Hawthorn great

<p>The AFL has found itself in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons after prematurely mourning a former player’s death at this week’s Hall of Fame ceremony.</p> <p>The ceremony, held on Tuesday night, saw Collingwood great Dane Swan inducted into the Hall of Fame and Hawthorn’s Jason Dunstall elevated to Legend status. But amidst the celebrations and the teary-eyed tributes, the AFL managed to pull off a major faux pas during the "In Memoriam" segment, which is of course supposed to honour those in the game who have passed away within the last year.</p> <p>Hawthorn's John Kennedy Jr was the first to express his shock on Channel 7’s <em>The Front Bar</em> program on Thursday night. "That 71 team, obviously a famous team and important team in Hawthorn’s history," host Sam Pang began, setting the stage for Kennedy’s bombshell. “But I believe, John, you have a cheerio you’d like to give to one of the players.”</p> <p>Kennedy, not one to miss an opportunity, replied: “I’d like to send one out to Michael Porter who played in the ’71 Grand Final. ‘Portholes’ they called him. He was noted as deceased last night on the AFL Hall of Fame, as one of the deceased people. The issue is he’s alive. So Portholes, if you’re listening mate or you’re up there in NSW, let us know when the wake is because we’ll be all there mate!”</p> <p>Indeed, the prematurely deceased Porter, who played 78 games for Hawthorn and was part of their 1971 VFL premiership team, took the news of his untimely death with remarkably good humour. Instead of sending a ghostly telegram from the great beyond, he simply called up former Hawks captain David Parkin, who was in the room for the Hall of Fame ceremony in Melbourne, to confirm he was alive and well.</p> <p>A league spokesman, likely blushing a shade of crimson, said: “Once this innocent mistake was realised we moved quickly to ring and apologise to everyone affected, including Michael, and thank him for his understanding.”</p> <p>Michael Porter, now thrust back into the limelight in the most unexpected fashion, might just hold the unique distinction of being the only player to attend his own wake and live to tell the tale. We can only hope he’s planning a grandiose party with a guest list featuring all his mates who would’ve otherwise been mourning his "passing".</p> <p>So, here’s to Michael Porter – alive, well and hopefully laughing his head off at the AFL’s latest gaffe. And for the AFL, perhaps a lesson: next time, double-check the list before sending anyone to the great footy oval in the sky.</p> <p><em>Images: Network 7</em></p>

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"I miss her hugs": British acting legend shares heartbreaking loss

<p>Actor Warwick Davis has shared the heartbreaking news of his wife's death. </p> <p>The actor, known for his roles in <em>Harry Potter</em> and <em>Star Wars</em>, took to social media to share the news of his wife Samantha's death, who passed away at the age of 53. </p> <p>“Her passing has left a huge hole in our lives as a family. I miss her hugs”, Warwick, 54, said.</p> <p>He added, “She was a unique character, always seeing the sunny side of life she had a wicked sense of humour and always laughed at my bad jokes.</p> <p>“Without Sammy, there would have been no Tenable quiz show, no Willow series. No Idiot Abroad Series 3.”</p> <p>Warwick said Samantha was his “most trusted confidant and an ardent supporter of everything I did in my career”.</p> <p>The couple’s children, Harrison and Annabelle, added, “Mum is our best friend and we’re honoured to have received a love like hers</p> <p>“Her love and happiness carried us through our whole lives”.</p> <p>Warwick and Samantha met on the set of the movie Willow in 1988 and got married three years later. </p> <p>Samantha had achondroplasia, a bone growth disorder that causes disproportionate dwarfism.</p> <p>Warwick has previously opened up about his wife’s health after she was rushed to hospital with sepsis in 2018, and had to undergo several different surgeries to stabilise her condition. </p> <p>Warwick, co-founder of charity Little People UK, has often spoken out about the health battles related to his condition, as well his wife’s.</p> <p>He was born with Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita (SED), an extremely rare genetic form of dwarfism, which has been inherited by both their daughter Annabelle and son Harrison.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

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Luke Davies' mother breaks silence

<p>In the wake of unimaginable tragedy, the loss of Luke Davies and Jesse Baird has left a void in the lives of their loved ones and communities. As <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/shocking-new-claims-on-alleged-double-murder" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the details of their untimely passing</a> continue to unfold, the outpouring of support and compassion from near and far serves as a beacon of hope amidst profound sorrow.</p> <p>Sandra Davies, mother to Luke, has now spoken publicly for the first time to express her gratitude amidst the overwhelming grief that has enveloped her family. In a poignant message shared on the GoFundMe page dedicated to preserving her son's memory, Sandra's words resonate with the profound depth of a mother's love and the enduring spirit of community.</p> <p>"Wow an unbelievable $75000.00 donated to our beloved, and most beautiful, kindest soul Luke," Sandra wrote. "It is with a grateful heart we thank you all sincerely although these words just don’t seem enough for the overwhelming love and generosity both Luke and Jesse have received these past few weeks.</p> <p>"To all the family, friends and strangers for your generous gifts and words of support we appreciate all of your help during this very traumatic and difficult time and will continue to keep you updated as we start to prepare for Luke’s final farewell." </p> <p>The remarkable sum of $75,000 raised thus far stands as a testament to the indelible impact Luke and Jesse have had on countless lives, their radiant spirits touching hearts far and wide. Luke's unwavering kindness, Jesse's vibrant presence – their absence reverberates through the hearts of all who were fortunate enough to know them.</p> <p>As Sandra extends her heartfelt appreciation to each and every individual who has offered solace and support, her words serve as a reminder of the healing power found in the embrace of community.</p> <p><em>Images: GoFundMe</em></p>

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AFL to tribute for Jesse Baird and Luke Davies

<p>The AFL will honour Jesse Baird and Luke Davies with a tribute to the couple before Thursday night's opening game of the season at the Sydney Cricket Ground. </p> <p>AFL CEO Andrew Dillon announced that players from Sydney Swans and Melbourne Demons, as well as the umpires will gather at 7.27pm and wear black armbands in a mark of respect for the allegedly murdered couple. </p> <p>"A tribute pre-game to both Jesse and Luke tomorrow night is a small way for us all to reflect and remember two young men during what is a very difficult time for their families and friends," Dillon said.</p> <p>"The AFL acknowledge and respect both families who are experiencing untold grief and so are particularly grateful for their support of the tribute."</p> <p>The tribute will honour the memory of Davies, who was a lifelong Swans supporter and Baird, who was an AFL goal umpire and "a popular and respected member of our AFL umpiring family". </p> <p>"Jesse developed many close friendships his umpiring career and time at the AFL," the statement read.</p> <p>"He was such a vibrant, fun-loving person, who was deeply committed to umpiring."</p> <p>Baird made his debut on the AFL umpiring list in March 2020 and was named the AFL's most promising goal umpire when he won the umpiring association's Brian Pratt Medallion two years in a row.</p> <p>When he moved to Sydney in 2023, he continued his AFL umpiring career, which spanned 62 matches including two finals. </p> <p>The couple were <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/police-officer-arrested-amid-search-for-missing-men" target="_blank" rel="noopener">allegedly murdered</a> by serving police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon in Baird’s Paddington home on February 19.</p> <p>Their <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/update-on-search-for-bodies-of-murdered-couple" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bodies </a>were discovered in a rural NSW property on February 27, over a week after they were allegedly killed. </p> <p>The senior constable has since been charged two counts of murder and remains behind bars after being denied bail. </p> <p>Following their tragic deaths, tributes have flowed in from the couple's friends, family and <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/sarah-harris-leads-tributes-to-jesse-baird" target="_blank" rel="noopener">colleagues </a>across the country.</p> <p><em>Images: AFLUA/ Facebook</em></p>

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Qantas unveils tribute to Luke Davies

<p>Qantas has unveiled how they will be honouring their slain colleague Luke Davies at the annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. </p> <p>The bodies of Luke Davies and his boyfriend Jesse Baird were found buried in the NSW Southern Tablelands earlier this week, as police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon has been charged with two counts of murder over their deaths. </p> <p>Now, on the eve of the Mardi Gras parade that takes over Sydney's Oxford Street every year, Qantas has shared how they will honour Davies' life on the Flying Kangaroo float. </p> <p>Davies' name will be front and centre of the float, while Mardi Gras organiser Brandon Bear said this year’s festival would be a time for both celebration and mourning.</p> <p>“Mardi Gras is a multiplicity of things and we come together not just to celebrate, but also to spark conversation to make change and this year, there’ll be an element of us coming together to mourn,” he told <em>ABC News</em>. </p> <p>“We’re certainly working with the community (to recognise the couple) and we know our partners are working to use their parade float to talk to the lives and the memory of those young men.”</p> <p>The conversation around the death of Baird and Davies just before Mardi Gras has sparked a lot of debate, with Mardi Gras reaching an agreement with NSW Police saying they would be allowed to march in the parade, as long as they are not in uniform. </p> <p>A silent vigil is set to be held on Friday evening in the Sydney suburb of Darlinghurst to honour the lives of Luke and Jesse, with the public invited by their families to join them in mourning.</p> <p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 25px; padding: 0px; line-height: 24px;"><em>Image credits: Facebook / Qantas </em></p>

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Luke Davies' final act of kindness for nervous flyer

<p>The colleagues of slain Qantas flight attendant Luke Davies have shared the 29-year-old's final act of kindness for an elderly couple travelling overseas. </p> <p>In one of the last flights before his untimely death, Davies was on a flight from Sydney to Singapore as an elderly woman boarded the plane with her dying husband who was dealing with dementia. </p> <p>The senior couple were travelling to Switzerland so the man could pay one final visit to his son before succumbing to his illness. </p> <p>The caring flight attendant spent the entire eight-and-a-half hour journey, including his break, with the man and his wife as they flew first-class. </p> <p>"The wife had told him [her husband] had severe dementia, and she was really saddened by it because she kept saying he was the most beautiful husband and kindest man, and she was losing him to this cruel disease," Qantas colleague Brooke Walters told the <em><a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/luke-davies-act-of-kindness-on-one-of-his-last-flights-20240227-p5f84n.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">Sydney Morning Herald</a></em>.</p> <p>"She was getting exhausted because every 30 seconds he was losing his memory, like a goldfish, and Luke took it upon himself to care for them constantly."</p> <p>Walters shared how her friend and colleague went above and beyond to care for the elderly man, recalling how he tucked the man into his bed, reassured him amid his confusion and consoled his wife, who was at times upset. </p> <p>"Luke had been told they booked the flight a year and a half ago, but the husband had deteriorated in the last three months really badly, so it was going to be their last trip to see their son, and Luke wanted it to be as comfortable as possible," she said.</p> <p>Ms Walters added that Mr Davies had a love of travelling and was a joy to be around.</p> <p>Luke and his partner Jesse Davies' <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/update-on-search-for-bodies-of-murdered-couple" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bodies were found</a> in southern New South Wales on Tuesday, after Constable Beaumont Lamarre-Condon turned himself in over the disappearance of the two men, and has since been <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/police-officer-arrested-amid-search-for-missing-men" target="_blank" rel="noopener">charged</a> with two counts of murder. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

International Travel

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Vigil held as families visit site where Jesse Baird and Luke Davies' bodies found

<p>In the wake of the devastating loss of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies, allegedly murdered in a shocking incident that has reverberated more than 150km apart, communities are coming together to mourn, support and seek solace.</p> <p>The heart-wrenching discovery of the couple's bodies in the serene landscapes of the Southern Tablelands near Goulburn has sent shockwaves through both urban and rural areas. </p> <p>As news of the tragic discovery spread, family members embarked on a solemn journey south to the Bungonia property where <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/update-on-search-for-bodies-of-murdered-couple" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Baird and Davies were found</a>. Their pilgrimage was met with an outpouring of sympathy and solidarity from friends and community members alike. Meanwhile, in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs, a sombre vigil took place, with dozens gathering at the Bronte Surf Life Saving Club to honour the memories of the beloved couple.</p> <p>The scene at the vigil was poignant yet comforting, with friends embracing one another against the backdrop of crashing waves and flickering candlelight. A portrait of Davies served as a focal point, surrounded by tokens of affection and remembrance.</p> <p>Meanwhile, in the NSW countryside, law enforcement officials worked diligently to unravel the mysteries surrounding the tragic deaths. The sight of police tape being lowered to allow family members to pass through symbolised both closure and the beginning of a long journey toward healing.</p> <p>For the NSW Police Force, the case hit particularly close to home. Deputy Commissioner Michael Fitzgerald spoke candidly about the profound impact of the alleged crime, emphasising the shock and horror felt within the law enforcement community.</p> <p>"It has hurt us because it was one of our own," Assistant Commissioner Fitzgerald remarked. "It was an officer who used a police weapon. It's captured the world's attention, not just Australia's. It's horrendous and horrific."</p> <p>Indeed, the tragedy has sparked a broader conversation about the prevalence of violence and the need for greater support for victims and their families. As communities grapple with grief and loss, there is a renewed commitment to standing together in solidarity and offering support to those in need.</p> <p>While the discovery of Baird and Davies' bodies brings a heartbreaking confirmation of their deaths, it also serves as a catalyst for healing and closure. In the days and weeks ahead, friends, family and communities will continue to come together to honour their memories and seek justice for the lives lost too soon.</p> <p><em>Images: 9News</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Hope for families after abrupt collapse of construction firm

<p>Failed builder Porter Davis will be partly sold to a Victorian construction firm to complete hundreds of homes.</p> <p>Nostra Property Group will take over the collapsed builder’s multiple dwelling business in Victoria which is mostly responsible for townhouses.</p> <p>Porter Davis, Australia’s 12th largest home builder suddenly stopped construction on 1,700 homes in Victoria and Queensland on March 31, 2023, after it was crippled by a funding hole estimated at $20 million.</p> <p>Liquidator Grant Thornton announced Nostra has plans to complete up to 375 homes including 126 townhouses which have already been sold to buyers using the same Porter Davis designs.</p> <p>The firm is also able to start construction for up to 169 townhouses that have already been sold.</p> <p>It is offering ongoing employment to 16 Porter Davis workers as well.</p> <p>"All parties worked tirelessly to achieve a positive outcome in an extremely short period of time which will see a number of jobs preserved, disruption minimised for several existing and future projects, and critically up to 375 homes built for families who have had to suffer enormous stress and anxiety following the collapse of the PDH Group," Said Jahani from liquidator Grant Thornton said.</p> <p>The managing director for Nostra Anthony Caruana said the company is already in affiliation with various developers that were building Porter Davis homes, making the buy-in a “natural fit”.</p> <p>"Together, we will work towards not only completing the existing partially built homes in this portfolio but also those projects which are yet to commence," Caruana said.</p> <p>"This will ensure that we can provide much-needed certainty to the families who have purchased a PDH-designed townhouse and they can once again look forward to having a new place to call home.”</p> <p>Founded by Caruana in Victoria in 2006, Nostra Property Group specialises in townhouse developments.</p> <p>More than 1,000 homes remain unaccounted for as the firm is only taking over the Victorian arm of the Porter Davis builds.</p> <p>It comes as upset families affected by the collapse took to the steps of Victorian parliament, demanding the government pay back the tens of thousands of dollars lost in deposits.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Shutterstock</em></p>

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One of Australia’s last surviving ‘Rats of Tobruk’ passes away aged 102

<p dir="ltr">Dennis Davis, a World War II veteran and one of Australia’s last surviving ‘Rats of Tobruk’ has passed away aged 102.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Davis was one of 14,000 diggers who held out against German and Italian forces in the 241-day siege on Libya’s Tobruk port in 1941.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Aussie soldiers, along with another 5,000 allied soldiers, were dubbed the ‘Rats of Tobruk’ for their efforts over the eight-month campaign.</p> <p dir="ltr">After falling ill in the days before Anzac Day this year, Mr Davis secured a leave pass from the hospital so that he could still attend an Anzac ceremony at Sydney’s Town Hall, where he laid a wreath in honour of his fellow veterans.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was harder to get out of the hospital than it was to get out of the army,” he joked to his family, according to the Australian Remembrance Foundation.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-93834177-7fff-a6cd-81e6-44a2f7f70cc6"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">During Channel 7’s ‘Lest We Forget’ concert tribute to the ANZACs earlier this year, Mr Davis was the subject of a Veteran’s Tribute, before he laid the wreath at the Town Hall Anzac Day service.</p> <p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oaq3RS9Rffk?start=904&amp;end=1174" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p dir="ltr">On Monday, August 15, Mr Davis attended a ceremony at the cenotaph in Sydney’s Martin Place with fellow veterans to mark the 77th Victory in the Pacific Day.</p> <p dir="ltr">The foundation announced Mr Davis’ passing on Thursday, August 18, as reported by the AAP.</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/stories-service/veterans-stories/dennis-daviss-story" target="_blank" rel="noopener">His story</a> is also included in the Department of Veterans’ Affairs stories of service program, which shares the experiences of veterans to support education in Australia’s military history.</p> <p dir="ltr">After migrating from London to Australia, Mr Davis enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in 1940, serving in the Middle East, New Guinea and Borneo during WWII.</p> <p dir="ltr">Following his involvement in the Seige of Tobruk and battles at El Alamein, Mr Davis was sent to serve in a newly formed ski unit.</p> <p dir="ltr">On his return to Australia, he married his fiancé Margaret before departing again to serve in New Guinea and Borneo.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Davis was finally discharged in November 1945 and returned to his job at the tax office.</p> <p dir="ltr">He was married to Margaret for 61 years before she passed away in 2004, and they are both survived by two children, seven grandchildren, and 20 great-grandchildren.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-0e00ab4d-7fff-d18b-d13f-756758a25c16"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Veterans’ Foundation (Facebook)</em></p>

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“There is no other”: Betty Davis, the ‘Queen of Funk’, dies at 77

<p dir="ltr">Funk and soul legend Betty Davis has died at 77 years old.</p><p dir="ltr">Danielle Maggio, a friend of the music star and model, confirmed the news on Wednesday, as reported by <em>Metro UK</em>.</p><p dir="ltr">Maggio also took to Twitter to share the sad news, writing: “Devastated by the passing of my dear friend, pioneering songwriter, singer and producer, #BettyDavis.”</p><p dir="ltr">She confirmed that the “Queen of Funk” died peacefully, with “no pain or fear”.</p><p><span id="docs-internal-guid-39ce42f6-7fff-80cd-3c50-4c0a85ff5061"></span></p><p dir="ltr">“Knowing her was the greatest honour of my life,” Maggio wrote. “I love you, Betty. Your music and spirit will live on forever.”</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Devastated by the passing of my dear friend, pioneering songwriter, singer and producer, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BettyDavis?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BettyDavis</a>. There was no pain or fear as she left this physical world. Knowing her was the greatest honor of my life. I love you, Betty. Your music and spirit will live on forever. <a href="https://t.co/8pZAK6nS0S">pic.twitter.com/8pZAK6nS0S</a></p>— Danielle Maggio (@saucequeen_pgh) <a href="https://twitter.com/saucequeen_pgh/status/1491500133074280453?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2022</a></blockquote><p dir="ltr">Amie Downs, the communications director for Allegheny County, Pennsylvania - where Davis lived - told <em><a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/betty-davis-dead-obit-1297372/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rolling Stone</a></em> the star died of natural causes.</p><p dir="ltr">In a statement on Wednesday, Davis’ longtime friend Connie Portis remembered the trailblazing singer as a “beloved member of her community”.</p><p dir="ltr">“It is with great sadness that I share the news of the passing of Betty Davis, a multi-talented music influencer and pioneer rock star, singer, songwriter, and fashion icon,” Portis said.</p><p dir="ltr">“Most of all, Betty was a friend, aunt, niece, and beloved member of her community of Homestead, Pennsylvania, and of the worldwide community of friends and fans.”</p><p dir="ltr">Davis, born Betty Mabry in North Carolina, moved to New York, where her music career began.</p><p dir="ltr">She became known for her sexualised lyrics, rising to fame to produce hits like <em>Get Ready for Betty</em>, <em>If I’m in Luck I Might Get Picked Up</em> and <em>It’s My Life</em>.</p><p dir="ltr">Davis also wrote <em>Uptown (to Harlem)</em>, which appeared on The Chamber Brother’s 1967 album <em>The Time Has Come</em>.</p><p dir="ltr">She released her self-titled first album in 1973, followed by <em>They Say I’m Different</em> in 1974 and <em>Nasty Gal</em> in 1975.</p><p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-2cf2c43f-7fff-9d98-88a0-2ad15fb9134e"></span></p><p dir="ltr">Davis was also known for being the second wife to jazz legend Miles Davis, who was 19 years older than her. The pair were wed in 1968 after being together for two years, but filed for divorce after just one year.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">It's been talked about over and over but let's just emphasize again how Betty Davis had a GIGANTIC impact on music, as well as being unapologetically herself as both an independent woman as well as an artist. A true pioneer and trailblazer <a href="https://t.co/01g53Sd93g">pic.twitter.com/01g53Sd93g</a></p>— COSMO BAKER (@CosmoBaker) <a href="https://twitter.com/CosmoBaker/status/1491462261134798850?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2022</a></blockquote><p dir="ltr">Though their marriage was brief, Davis still influenced her former husband’s music, appearing on the cover of his album <em>Filles de Kilimanjaro</em> and inspiring the track <em>Mademoiselle Mabry (Miss Mabry)</em>.</p><p dir="ltr">Despite releasing her album in the same year, Davis left the music industry in 1975, moving to Pittsburgh to get away from the spotlight.</p><p dir="ltr">Her disappearance from the public eye didn’t stop her from gaining a cult following or continuing to inspire a new generation of artists. The renewed interest in her work resulted in the re-release of her albums in 2007, as well as the debut of her unreleased fourth album, which was recorded in 1976 and released under a new name in 2009.</p><p dir="ltr">Speaking to the <em>New York Times</em> in 2018 about her decision to retire, Davis said: “When I was told that it was over, I just accepted that. And nobody else was knocking at my door.”</p><p dir="ltr">During the same year, Davis released her first song in 40 years, titled <em><a href="https://daniellemaggio.bandcamp.com/album/a-little-bit-hot-tonight" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Little Bit Hot Tonight</a></em>, which was performed by Maggio on Davis’ behalf.</p><p dir="ltr">Portis said a tribute would be made to “her beautiful, bold and brash persona” at a later date.</p><p dir="ltr">“Today we cherish her memory as the sweet, thoughtful, and reflective person she was… There is no other.”</p><p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-1c96b23e-7fff-be19-07dd-d94e38a99e65"></span></p><p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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The real reason Kyrgios was left off the Davis Cup team

<p dir="ltr">Australian tennis star Thanasi Kokkinakis has <a href="https://www.foxsports.com.au/tennis/he-was-asked-doubles-partner-kokkinakis-drops-kyrgios-bomb/news-story/474df82cd7d17fd1f4c5da5c9a8996c9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dispelled rumours</a> that Nick Kyrgios was snubbed by Lleyton Hewitt after Kyrgios was the big omission from Hewitt’s lineup for the upcoming Davis Cup.</p><p><span id="docs-internal-guid-2901835c-7fff-aa1f-4190-60e02c95dc3b"></span></p><p dir="ltr">Following his triumph in last month’s Australian Open men’s double, Kokkinakis revealed his partner had made himself unavailable for the international competition.</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF;border: 0;border-radius: 3px;margin: 1px;max-width: 540px;min-width: 326px;padding: 0;width: calc(100% - 2px)" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CZWMgrGJVcX/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"><div style="padding: 16px"><div style="flex-direction: row;align-items: center"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;flex-grow: 0;height: 40px;margin-right: 14px;width: 40px"> </div><div style="flex-direction: column;flex-grow: 1;justify-content: center"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;margin-bottom: 6px;width: 100px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;width: 60px"> </div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0"> </div><div style="height: 50px;margin: 0 auto 12px;width: 50px"> </div><div style="padding-top: 8px"><div style="color: #3897f0;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;font-style: normal;font-weight: 550;line-height: 18px">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0"> </div><div style="flex-direction: row;margin-bottom: 14px;align-items: center"><div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px;flex-grow: 0;margin-right: 14px;margin-left: 2px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px"> </div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;flex-grow: 0;height: 20px;width: 20px"> </div><div style="width: 0;height: 0;border-top: 2px solid transparent;border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom: 2px solid transparent"> </div></div><div style="margin-left: auto"><div style="width: 0px;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right: 8px solid transparent"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;flex-grow: 0;height: 12px;width: 16px"> </div><div style="width: 0;height: 0;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left: 8px solid transparent"> </div></div></div><div style="flex-direction: column;flex-grow: 1;justify-content: center;margin-bottom: 24px"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;margin-bottom: 6px;width: 224px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;width: 144px"> </div></div><p style="color: #c9c8cd;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;line-height: 17px;margin-bottom: 0;margin-top: 8px;overflow: hidden;padding: 8px 0 7px;text-align: center"><a style="color: #c9c8cd;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;font-style: normal;font-weight: normal;line-height: 17px;text-decoration: none" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CZWMgrGJVcX/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Thanasi Kokkinakis (@the_kokk1)</a></p></div></blockquote><p dir="ltr">Kyrgios has also pulled out of the Delray Beach ATP Tour event in Florida, which kicks off next week, and his participation at ATP events at Acapulco, Mexico and Indian Wells, California are yet to be announced.</p><p dir="ltr">However, the 26-year-old appeared to be a glaring omission from the squad picked by Hewitt for Australia’s Davis Cup qualifying match against Hungary.</p><p dir="ltr">Instead, Kokkinakis was picked for the first time since 2015, along with Alex de Minaur, Alexei Popyrin, John Peers and Luke Saville.</p><p dir="ltr">Following reports that Kyrgios’ absence from the squad was a “snub” from Hewitt, Kokkinakis has said it was Kyrgios who turned down Hewitt’s offer.</p><p dir="ltr">“He definitely was asked to play,” Kokkinakis told <em>Sky News</em>.</p><p dir="ltr">“He has a few things on so he wasn’t able to play but he definitely didn’t get snubbed or anything - I saw those headlines and he didn’t get snubbed at all. Hopefully we can team up again in the future.”</p><p dir="ltr">Though Hewitt and Kyrgios have had a turbulent relationship in the past, it seems their rift has been mended, with Kokkinakis saying they now have a “good relationship”.</p><p dir="ltr">“I think Nick has shown he always loves playing for Australia. I’m not sure exactly what he has on, but he obviously has something pretty important,” he said.</p><p dir="ltr">“He’s obviously in our strongest team. He was definitely asked, and I think he and Lleyton have a good relationship, but he just wasn’t available for this time.”</p><p dir="ltr">At the time that the squad was announced, Hewitt had nothing but praise for Kokkinakis, who will have the chance to compete in both the singles and doubles after claiming his maiden ATP Tour singles title at the Adelaide International prior to his Australian Open win.</p><p dir="ltr">“Thanasi had a fantastic Australian summer,” Hewitt said.</p><p dir="ltr">“He really cemented himself as a top 100 player again, winning his first title at home in Adelaide and beating quality players. And then to go on to win the Australian Open doubles, this is going to give him a lot of confidence heading into this tie.”</p><p dir="ltr">Australia will qualify for the Davis Cup Finals, held at the end of the year, if the team defeats Hungary during their match in Sydney on March 4 and 5.</p><p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-bd09a179-7fff-c524-2344-03665999bc5d"></span></p><p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @k1ngkyrg1os (Instagram)</em></p>

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Christian Porter to quit politics

<p dir="ltr">Former attorney-general Christian Porter has announced that he will quit politics at the next federal election in a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/christianportermp/posts/433955814960018">lengthy Facebook post</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Porter was first elected to Parliament for the Western Australian electorate of Pearce in 2013, and was appointed as Attorney-General by Malcolm Turnbull in 2017.</p> <p dir="ltr">Porter has had a tumultuous final year in politics. In March, the ABC published a story detailing historical rape allegations against an unnamed cabinet minister, following which Porter identified himself as the cabinet member in question.<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/christian-porter-categorically-denies-rape-allegations-it-s-just-not-true" target="_blank">Vehemently denying the claims</a>, Porter then<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/christian-porter-ends-defamation-action-against-the-abc" target="_blank">sued the ABC for defamation</a>, a case that was eventually settled, with the ABC adding a note to the story to say that it did not intend to suggest Porter “had committed the criminal offences alleged”. Porter was then moved from the office of attorney-general to industry minister.</p> <p dir="ltr">Then, in September, it was revealed that anonymous donors paid part of Porter’s legal fees, and Porter opted to resign from cabinet rather than reveal who the donors were.</p> <p dir="ltr">Porter used his resignation announcement on Facebook as an opportunity to ruminate on his time at the Department of Public Prosecutions and in Parliament, writing, “There are few, if any, constants left in modern politics. Perhaps the only certainty now is that there appears to be no limit to what some will say or allege or do to gain an advantage over a perceived enemy.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This makes the harshness that can accompany the privilege of representing people, harder than ever before. But even though I have experienced perhaps more of the harshness of modern politics than most, there are no regrets.”</p> <p dir="ltr">He ended the post by saying, “Before each election I have always asked myself whether I could absolutely guarantee another three years of total commitment to the electorate because people deserve that commitment, free of any reservations.</p> <p dir="ltr">“After a long time giving everything I could to the people of Pearce it’s now time to give more of what is left to those around me whose love has been unconditional.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Former WA premier Colin Barnett, who appointed Porter as state attorney-general during his time in office,<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/christian-porter-to-quit-parliament-at-the-next-election-20211201-p59dxd.html" target="_blank">said he was sad to see</a><span> </span>Porter leave politics. He said, “I think he would have become a prime minister had he stayed in the long term. So we’ve lost a potential West Australian Prime Minister, which would have been the second since John Curtin during the war.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Sam Mooy/Getty Images</em></p>

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Christian Porter says he’s a victim of ‘vile abuse’

<p>Christian Porter has released a statement claiming he’s been the victim of vile abuse from the "angry mob" on Twitter and he's tendered his resignation which Scott Morrison revealed on Sunday he has accepted.</p> <p>The Prime Minister said he’s accepted Porter’s resignation after Porter decided to accept a substantial cash donation from an anonymous donor to pay his legal bills and he could not give more information on where the money was coming from. <span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;">Porter told Morrison the donor who had provided him with financial support had done so on the condition of anonymity. </span></p> <p>Morrison added if he had more information on Porter’s source of funding it “would allow the Minister to conclusively rule out a perceived conflict.”</p> <p>In a video released on Sunday, Morrison confirmed Industry Minister Christian Porter had tendered his resignation from the ministry and he has accepted it. Morrison said this was a difficult decision but it was about “upholding” the ministerial guidelines.</p> <p>He then said the “appropriate course of action to uphold those standards” has been upheld by Porter “tendering his resignation as a minister this afternoon, and I have accepted his resignation.”</p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ab2e27483c544847aa9ec49ce7480b5b" /><img style="width: 500px; height: 280.8988764044944px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844194/christian-porter-scomo-um.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ab2e27483c544847aa9ec49ce7480b5b" /></p> <p>Morrison continued saying: “His actions have been about upholding the standards. Our discussions today were about upholding the standards. We believe they are incredibly important, and it is not just about actual conflicts, it’s about the standards for ministers to have an obligation to avoid any perception of conflicts of interest that is ultimately what has led the Minister to make that decision this afternoon.</p> <p>“I want to thank Minister Porter for his service in my government, I want to thank him for his service as the Minister for industry, science and technology, and I want to thank him for his role as Attorney-General for several years, not only under my government but under my predecessor.”</p> <p>The Prime Minister will appoint Angus Taylor as the acting Minister for Science and Technology.</p> <p><strong>Porter releases statement following resignation</strong></p> <p>In his own statement which he released after handing in his resignation, Porter said he was the victim of vile abuse over the “false allegations” that he had raped a woman as a teenager and the “trial by media” that had unfolded had set a new and disturbing standard in Australia. He also revealed that he only "recently" discovered the <span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;">surprising news that he was the beneficiary of a blind trust of substantial value from an anonymous donor.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;">Porter faces legal bills in the range of $600,000 to $1 million after he launched and then discontinued a defamation case against the ABC over historical rape claims which he strongly denies. His accuser died by suicide last year just 24 hours after she rang police and told them she didn’t wish to proceed with a complaint.</span></p> <p>Porter has not yet said if he plans to return the money now that he is no longer governed by the ministerial standards. However, Labor MPs indicated this matter could now be referred to the privileges committee of Parliament which governs such disclosures.</p> <p>In his statement Porter said: “On 26 February 2021, I was the subject of an allegation in an article published by the ABC that was not true. That article depicted events that never happened and which the ABC, in settlement of a defamation case, acknowledged was an allegation that could not be substantiated to the applicable legal standard – criminal or civil,’’ Mr Porter said.</p> <p>“As I tried my best to say at a media conference shortly after the allegation was reported, the initial article and subsequent media reporting has created a new standard under which literally any Australian can be the subject of an accusation widely published and, without due process or fairness, be tried and judged in a trial by media.</p> <p>“After my experience it now seems to be a part of modern public life that if you are a politician, particularly a conservative politician, a mere allegation is considered enough to warrant an accusation being widely published, regardless of its inability to be proven to a civil or criminal standard. From the moment the ABC article was published, I entered what appears to me now to be an inescapable media frenzy where the evidence, or in this case lack of it, appeared to be irrelevant. Instead, all that appeared to matter was the presence of an accusation.</p> <p>“To my disbelief, even in some mainstream media the onus of proof was completely reversed. <em>The Sydney Morning Herald </em>summed up the new reversed standard of proof in its declaration just days after the ABC article was published that: ‘It’s up to the Government to convince Australians that the Attorney General is innocent.’</p> <p>“It is almost impossible – for anyone – to prove that something did not happen, let alone to positively disprove what are at times completely bizarre allegations about something claimed in an unsigned document about a night 33 years ago, where the person withdrew the complaint and is now sadly deceased. From that point, when the reporting on both social media generally, and in parts of the mainstream media, shifted from a presumption of innocence to one of guilt, an impossible standard was set for any person to meet – politician or not.”</p> <p><strong>Porter stated he there was evidence to show the allegations against him lack credibility</strong></p> <p>Porter said there was evidence that he believed would demonstrate the allegations lack credibility: “The most frightening indicator that the public broadcaster was central to this shift to a presumption of guilt in a trial by media is the fact that the ABC – seemingly with great care and effort – has reported only those parts of the information that it has in its possession which feeds into its narrative of guilt,’’ he stated.</p> <p>“I have recently been provided from a source outside the ABC with a copy of the only signed document that the person who made and subsequently withdrew the complaint ever made. Many parts of that 88-page document are such that any reasonable person would conclude that they show an allegation that lacks credibility; was based on repressed memory (which has been completely rejected by courts as unreliable and dangerous); which relied on diaries said to be drafted in 1990/91 but which were actually words composed in 2019; and, was written by someone who was, sadly, very unwell.</p> <p>“This material, which remains unreported, clearly does not feed the ABC’s predetermined narrative of guilt by accusation. And presumably because this document detracts so substantively from the credibility of the allegations there has been careful and deliberate avoidance in reporting it or publishing the parts of it that run counter to the chosen narrative.</p> <p>“Having set in motion its trial by accusation, the ABC unleashed the Twitter version of an angry mob. In this online mob environment the mere accusation – reported by Australia’s national broadcaster – was determined adequate to assign guilt, with no regard to evidence or, indeed, lack of evidence. All that seemed to matter was the fact that the accusation had been made and the identity of the person accused.</p> <p>“The target of the Twitter mob then extended to anyone who contradicted the narrative of guilt by accusation. So fierce and vengeful is the response of the Twitter mob to anyone who dares say anything contrary to the narrative of guilt that those people then come to be deemed to commit a form of social crime for defending the subject of the unproven allegation and the mob turns on them. This happened to my two female lawyers, amongst many others.</p> <p>“The journalists who said anything in support of what were once accepted principles of due process, rule of law and presumption of innocence in the context of the accusations against me felt the full force of the Twitter mob.”</p> <p>Porter said the donors who had provided him with financial support had done so on the condition of anonymity.</p> <p>“Thousands of ordinary people contacted me, expressing disgust at what the ABC had done. Even though I suspected action against the taxpayer-funded broadcaster was probably going to be financially unsustainable, as it ultimately was, I decided I had to commence action against the ABC. Some people wanted to help in that course by supporting my defamation case. They contributed to a Trust on the basis of confidentiality and a belief that their contribution would remain confidential within the rules of disclosure.</p> <p>“Whilst I have no right of access to the funding or conduct of the Trust, on my request the Trustee provided me an assurance that none of the contributors were lobbyists or prohibited foreign entities. This additional information was provided as part of my Ministerial disclosure. No doubt the desire of some, possibly many, of those contributors to remain anonymous was driven by a natural desire to avoid the inevitable fact that for supporting me, the trial by mob would inevitably turn on them if they were identified.</p> <p>“Facing a false allegation is an experience that places your family, friends and staff under enormous and cruel pressure. It has resulted in constant abuse and ongoing threats. For me personally, the physical threats of violence, the experience of being spat at and publicly abused for something I didn’t do has been nearly beyond comprehension in a civilised country. To my family, friends, staff, colleagues and supporters who have helped me get through these most difficult days, words will never be able to adequately express the deep gratitude I feel.”</p> <p>The former Attorney-General said he was confident that his disclosures to Parliament on the donors was proper and complied with the rules.</p> <p>“I understand the questions raised in the media about the financial arrangements to help fund the now settled litigation. But I consider that I have provided the information required under the Members’ Register of Interests. I also considered that the additional disclosures I provided under the Ministerial Standards were in accordance with its additional requirements,’’ he said.</p> <p>“However, after discussing the matter with the Prime Minister I accept that any uncertainty on this point provides a very unhelpful distraction for the Government in its work. To the extent that that uncertainty may be resolved by seeking further information in relation to the identities of the contributors, this would require me to put pressure on the Trust to provide me with information to which I am not entitled. I am not prepared to seek to break the confidentiality of those people who contributed to my legal fees under what are well-known and regular legal structures, including the confidentiality attached to the Trust contribution.</p> <p>“Ultimately, the Prime Minister is a person for whom I have great personal and professional respect. But fully understanding the consequences, where I am not willing to put pressure on the Trust to provide me with any further information, I respectfully informed the Prime Minister that I would not place pressure on the Trust to provide me with information to which I am not entitled. I explained my reason for this was that I could not assist any process that would ultimately allow people who have done nothing wrong to become targets of the social media mob and I would continue to respect their position.</p> <p>“Ultimately, I decided that if I have to make a choice between seeking to pressure the Trust to break individuals’ confidentiality in order to remain in Cabinet, or alternatively forego my Cabinet position, there is only one choice I could, in all conscience, make. Consequently, I provided the Prime Minister with my resignation earlier today. It is effective immediately.”</p> <p><strong>Porter still plans to contest the next election</strong></p> <p>“My greatest privilege has always been to serve the people of Pearce as their representative in the Australian Parliament since 2013 and to be re-elected by them in 2016 and 2019,’’ he said.</p> <p>“I have previously stated my determination to contest the next election in Pearce and have nominated for preselection, and I have no intention of standing aside from my responsibilities to the people of Pearce.”</p> <p><em>Images: Getty Images</em></p>

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Christian Porter rape allegation documents released by Federal Court

<p><strong>WARNING: Graphic and confronting content.</strong></p> <p>An old friend of the Adelaide woman who accused Christian Porter of rape has revealed the reason why she believed her and what she registered as "sinister" elements of her allegations.</p> <p>In new documents released by the Federal Court on Thursday, a transcript of Jo Dyer's previously unpublished interview with ABC journalist Louise Milligan has detailed when she discovered that her old school friend alleged she had been anally raped by Mr Porter as a teenager.</p> <p>Mr Porter denies the allegation and is suing the ABC for defamation who reported a cabinet minister was accused of a 1988 rape, although it did not mention his name. He has since discontinued the case.</p> <p>The documents released by the Federal Court also include the "dossier" including the accuser's account of the allegations in her own words.</p> <p>His accuser died by suicide on June 24, 2020, with friends and supporters marking the one-year anniversary of her death on Thursday by lighting "candles for Kate".</p> <p>In a transcript released by the Federal Court, Milligan asks Ms Dyer, “What made you think that K was telling the truth?”</p> <p>“There are a number of reasons why I thought K was telling the truth,’’ she said.</p> <p>“First and foremost was the story that she told was so clear and so consistent and so detailed. I believed the story. Secondly, really, the incident as she described it was not … the acts that she described were not something that a 16-year-old virgin would consent to.”</p> <p>Due to the nature of the alleged events described, Ms Dyer said she found it hard to believe it could have been consensual.</p> <p>Mr Porter denies having sex with the teenager and has previously stated: “Nothing in the allegations that have been printed ever happened.”</p> <p>When recounting her version of events, the woman states the encounter started off as consensual.</p> <p>She claims Mr Porter asked her for a "pearl necklace", which she agreed to despite not knowing what it was.</p> <p>She then alleges he forced her to have oral sex.</p> <p>After she vomited on her dress, she alleged he took her to a bathroom and washed her. When she woke up later in the evening, she alleged he was anally raping her.</p> <p>“So there was no ambiguity, it seemed to me, as to whether or not this was a consensual act that got out of hand or anything of that nature,” Ms Dyer told the ABC, according to the transcript released by the court.</p> <p>“It seemed to me that it was an aggressive and violent act, that no 16-year-old having her first sexual encounter would sign up for.</p> <p>“Thirdly, there was a level of sinister detail in it which seemed to me that once the act had occurred and K had resisted that there was strategic thinking around it by C to cover up the evidence. He – K told me – that while she was practically hysterical, and gave her a bath.</p> <p>“They were staying at the Women’s College at the University of Sydney. They were shared bathrooms. Why on earth would you do something like that? After a so-called consensual sexual encounter. You wouldn’t go traipsing down the hallway to a shared bathroom in the middle of the night or early in the morning?”</p> <p>In the accuser’s unsigned affidavit however, she is unclear whether he took her to a bath or a shower.</p> <p>Ms Dyer told the ABC that Mr Porter and his accuser had been out drinking, partying, until very late one night as teenagers after a debating conference.</p> <p>“They were walking back to the university campus, C offered to walk K back to her college. He had been cracking on to her a bit. She wasn’t interested in his advances, she wasn’t in that mood, late at night. But, he walked her back to her room. Came into the room, they started kissing, she was reluctant, but no harm in a kiss.</p> <p>“At a certain point, she moved away, she resisted. She said she was not interested in pursuing anything further. C was not going to take no for an answer. I think he thought – the way she described it, there was a lot of alcohol involved, I think he thought he could persuade her as they went along.</p> <p>“There was increasing sexual activity. He was quite repulsive in the language that he used during the encounter. She resisted more strongly because of this. It was very clear, the way she described it, there was no ambiguity as to whether or not she was consenting.</p> <p>“And at a certain point, he raped her, and he raped her anally. When he finished, she was incredibly distressed, hysterical almost, in tears, on the bed, he was trying to calm her down. At a certain point, he suggested that the best course of action would be for her to take a bath. Throughout that time, he was seeking to comfort her. And the way in which he did this was to stroke her and tell her that it was all going to be OK because this was just a bad dream.</p> <p>“She was a virgin. She had not had sexual experiences. She was not a sexually experienced person. She never viewed this – in later discussions, she never viewed this as the way she lost her virginity.”</p> <p>Ms Dyer also states in the transcript when she connected with the woman some years later she was a different person.</p> <p>“In the world of debating, there were many stars shining in the firmament. But K really shone the brightest, or certainly one of the brightest,’’ she said.</p> <p>“And she did not achieve everything that the potential that she showed back then would have suggested that she would.</p> <p>“When we reconnected, K was a very different person. She was consumed with a trauma which she told me, deeply and consistently, was a result of an assault that had occurred, early in 1988, and her life at that point was really devoted to exploring how she could get some kind of justice, accountability and peace from that.</p> <p>“And I guess finally, her life was derailed.”</p>

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Now Kate’s friend threatens to sue Christian Porter

<p>In walking away from his defamation action against the ABC, cabinet minister Christian Porter has opened a fresh round in the battle over the allegation of historical rape against him by a now-deceased woman, known just as Kate.</p> <p>Jo Dyer, a friend of Kate – whose claim Porter denies – on Tuesday threatened to sue him, accusing him of impugning “my honesty and integrity”.</p> <p>There is also now a battle over the settlement concluded between Porter and the ABC.</p> <p>The federal court has yet to ratify the settlement, which involves expunging from the court record part of the ABC’s defence in the defamation case. But news organisations are seeking to have the material made public.</p> <p>Justice Jayne Jagot said on Tuesday the issue might not be a matter for the parties. “There has to be a reason for the removal of a document from a court file,” she said. “It’s not done just because a party wants to do it.”</p> <p>If a document is removed from the court file, there cannot be applications to see it.</p> <p>ABC journalist Louise Milligan, who Porter also sued in his case against an ABC article reporting the accusation without naming him, tweeted on Monday “We are still absolutely committed to the 27 redacted pages being in the public domain”.</p> <p>Dyer brought the successful legal action that resulted in Porter’s high profile barrister Sue Chrysanthou being prevented from appearing in the defamation case because of a conflict of interest.</p> <p>Dyer said in her statement her lawyers had sent a second “concerns notice” to Porter over his “continuing defamatory comments”. “He should be on notice that if I launch legal proceedings, I tend to see them through to their conclusion,” she said.</p> <p>She alleged two defamations by Porter. She said that on May 12, he implied her legal proceedings were “part of an improper last minute legal strategy to disrupt his now discontinued action”.</p> <p>“He did this despite knowing the real reason for the court action, and the lengths to which I had gone over the preceding two months to avoid court,” she said.</p> <p>“Yesterday Mr Porter alleged that, after ‘coaching’ from Ms Milligan, I had destroyed important communications that may have had a bearing on his now discontinued action against Ms Milligan and the ABC.</p> <p>"This is absurd. As I stated in court under oath, a number of people, of whom Ms Milligan was but one, encouraged me to treat all communications about our dear friend Kate, and the allegations she made against Mr Porter, with the care and respect she and they warranted.</p> <p>"I endeavoured to do so by both filing and deleting correspondence between me and other individuals as appropriate.</p> <p>"There was nothing improper, illegal or sinister in my decisions to save or delete certain messages, decisions that were taken well before Mr Porter launched his now discontinued action against Ms Milligan and the ABC.”</p> <p>Dyer said the allegations Kate made against Porter “remain completely untested. Until they have been investigated, it is untenable for Mr Porter to remain in cabinet.”</p> <p>Shadow Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said an independent inquiry was needed into whether Porter was fit to continue as a cabinet minister. Dreyfus also said the ABC material should be publicly available.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/161911/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michelle-grattan-20316">Michelle Grattan</a>, Professorial Fellow, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-canberra-865">University of Canberra</a></em></span></p> <p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/now-kates-friend-threatens-to-sue-christian-porter-161911">original article</a>.</p>

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Christian Porter ends defamation action against the ABC

<p>Federal minister Christian Porter has decided to drop his defamation action against the ABC and journalist Louise Milligan, according to the broadcaster.</p> <p>“All parties have agreed to not pursue the matter any further,” the ABC said in a statement on Monday.</p> <p>“No damages will be paid.</p> <p>“The ABC stands by the importance of the article, which reported on matters of significant public interest, and the article remains online. ”</p> <p>The February 26 article has since been updated with a statement confirming the “unnamed cabinet minister” subject to a woman’s rape allegation was Mr Porter but that the ABC “did not intend to suggest that Mr Porter had committed the criminal offences alleged”.</p> <p>“The ABC did not contend that the serious accusations could be substantiated to the applicable legal standard – criminal or civil,” the editor’s note says.</p> <p>“However, both parties accept that some readers misinterpreted the article as an accusation of guilt against Mr Porter. That reading, which was not intended by the ABC, is regretted.”</p> <p>A spokesman for the ABC said the broadcaster had agreed to pay the costs of mediation with Mr Porter's team, which was ordered last week.</p> <p>In a lengthy statement after the decision emerged, Mr Porter blasted the ABC – describing Monday’s developments as a “humiliating backdown”.</p> <p>“The ABC and Louise Milligan have been forced to say that the accusations in the article could not be proven to a civil standard or a criminal standard so the same people who were calling for some kind of civil hearing have now been forced to say that the accusations would not be proven to a civil standard,” he said.</p> <p>“That is the point that they got to.</p> <p>“They regret the outcome of that article. That is a humiliating backdown by the ABC.”</p> <p>Mr Porter filed his claim for defamation on March 15, alleging the story was defamatory because it implied he raped a 16-year-old girl in 1988 and that contributed to her taking her own life.</p> <p>Milligan tweeted shortly after Monday’s decision was announced:</p> <p>“I stand by my journalism &amp; proud to work (Four Corners) &amp; grateful to the ABC &amp; our brilliant legal team for supporting public interest journalism.”</p> <p>Mr Porter said he never believed the ABC would settle the case.</p> <p>“I never thought that the ABC would settle. I never thought they would say they regret the outcome of the article. I never thought that they would concede that the accusations that were put in the article could never be proven, could not be proven to the criminal standard or the civil standard,” he said.</p> <p>“I did not think, frankly, there was any chance of them making those types of statements to settle this matter.”</p> <p>He will also be running once again in his marginal Perth seat at the next federal election.</p> <p>“I am running at the next election, committed at my seat for the people I represent, absolutely,” he said.</p>

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Christian Porter moves to strike out sections of ABC defence

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>Former Attorney-General Christian Porter's lawyers have applied to keep radio and television broadcasting company<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-06/christian-porter-applies-strike-out-parts-abc-defence-defamation/100122360" target="_blank"><em>The ABC</em>'s</a><span> </span>defence confidential.</p> <p>There's also a hearing into whether parts of the<span> </span><em>ABC's<span> </span></em>defence should be struck out entirely.</p> <p>Porter is suing the<span> </span><em>ABC<span> </span></em>as well as journalist Louise Milligan in the Federal Court after a story about an anonymous letter being sent to the Prime Minister contained a historical rape allegation from 1988.</p> <p>The article did not name the Attorney-General as the subject of the complaint, but Porter's team claimed that he was easily identifiable.</p> <p>Nearly a week after the article was published, Porter came forward and identified himself.</p> <p>The woman who made the claims has since taken her own life.</p> <p>As the case is being heard in Federal Court, Porter can ask the court to strike out parts of the<span> </span><em>ABC's<span> </span></em>defence on a range of grounds, including that the defence contains scandalous, frivolous or vexatious material or is likely to cause prejudice or embarrassment.</p> <p>The<span> </span><em>ABC<span> </span></em>filed its defence with the court on Tuesday, but it has not yet been made public due to Porter's lawyers applying to have some of the material omitted.</p> <p>In a statement, the<span> </span><em>ABC<span> </span></em>says it "supports having all materials in these proceedings, which are in the public interest, open to public scrutiny".</p> </div> </div> </div>

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Scomo "not ruling out" removing Christian Porter

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>Scott Morrison has admitted he has received advice from the solicitor-general about dumping Attorney-General Christian Porter from the ministry.</p> <p>The advice given was about what portfolio responsibilities Morrison might need to strip from Porter while Porter sues the ABC for defamation.</p> <p>Morrison has sought more advice from his department around the attorney-general and ministerial standards.</p> <p>Labor pressed Morrison on whether he is preparing to make Porter a “part-time minister” or drop him altogether.</p> <p>Morrison said he wasn't ruling out either option.</p> <p>“I am considering that advice with my department secretary in terms of the application against the ministerial guidelines,” he told parliament.</p> <p>“When I have concluded that assessment I will make a determination and I will make an announcement at that time.”</p> <p>Porter has launched a defamation case against the ABC over a story about rape allegations against a senior minister. He was not named in the story, but Porter's lawyers are arguing he was easily identifiable.</p> <p>ABC's managing director said that the story in question was of the "highest quality" journalism when he appeared before the Senate.</p> <p>He warned senators not to ask detailed questions about the case but used his opening statement to defend the ABC.</p> <p>“I am confident that the journalism was of the highest quality and that this will be borne out in the court proceedings,” Anderson said.</p> <p>“We will defend the case and our reporting, which we believe is in the public interest,” he added.</p> <p>“At all times I believe the ABC has acted in accordance with its statutory obligations of impartiality and its charter in its reporting.”</p> <p>Anderson said the story regarded an anonymous letter sent to senior federal politicians who then forwarded the correspondence to police.</p> <p>“No reputable media organisation could have ignored the existence of the letter or the fact politicians on both sides of the dispatch box had referred it to police,” he said.</p> <p>“We did not name or identify the cabinet minister mentioned in the material.</p> <p>“The attorney-general continues to be entitled to the presumption of innocence and the public broadcaster has reflected this in its reporting.”</p> </div> </div> </div>

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Christian Porter seeking damages from ABC and Louise Milligan

<p>Attorney-General Christian Porter has launched a major defamation action against the ABC and journalist Louise Milligan.</p> <p>The proceedings have accused the ABC of publishing an online article that allegedly portrayed him as the perpetrator the “brutal” rape of a woman, that resulted in her taking her life.</p> <p>The article published a letter that had been sent to Prime Minister Scott Morrison containing a historical allegation that a woman was raped by a serving Cabinet minister.</p> <p>While Mr Porter has denied the allegations, and the article did not name the Attorney-General as the perpetrator, his lawyers have argued that it was easy to identify him as the accused.</p> <p>Mr Porter is currently on medical leave and seeking damages for the article that was published on February 26 article under the headline “Scott Morrison, senators and AFP told of historical rape allegation against Cabinet Minister”.</p> <p>ABC journalist Louise Milligan was the one who broke the historical story and is also named as a party to the lawsuit.</p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840285/christian-porter-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/cfa58577601d4a97a2a34db9984c75c0" /></p> <p>Mr Porter is being defended by a number of high-profile lawyer including Sydney barristers Bret Walker, SC, and Sue Chrysanthou, SC, and solicitor Rebekah Giles.</p> <p>“Over the last few weeks, the Attorney-General has been subjected to trial by media without regard to the presumption of innocence or the rules of evidence and without any proper disclosure of the material said to support the untrue allegations,” Ms Giles said in a statement on Monday.</p> <p>“The trial by media should now end with the commencement of these proceedings.”</p> <p>Ms Giles said “the claims made by the ABC and Ms Milligan will be determined in a court in a procedurally fair process”.</p> <p>It is understood that Mr Porter will give evidence in the proceedings.</p> <p>She foreshadowed that Mr Porter would give evidence in the proceedings.</p> <p>Ms Chrysanthou and Ms Giles have acted successfully for a series of high-profile defamation plaintiffs, many of them women, including Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young against former Liberal Democratic Party senator David Leyonhjelm.</p> <p>Two weeks ago, Mr Porter came forward as the Cabinet minister that was referenced in the letter that made the historical allegation.</p> <p>"I can say categorically that what has been put in various forms and allegations simply did not happen," he said.</p> <p>An ABC spokesperson said: “The ABC will be defending the action.”</p>

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Julie Bishop slams "failed" Canberra culture in politics

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>Former Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has slammed Canberra's culture in politics, saying that a group of male Liberal MPs who called themselves the "big swinging dicks" tried to ruin her career.</p> <p>She made the claims in an interesting interview with Leigh Sales on<span> </span><em>ABC's 7:30</em>.</p> <p>Sales directly asked Bishop about claims that a group of Liberal MPs tried to block her career progression.</p> <p>“It was actually big swinging dicks,’’ Ms Bishop said.</p> <p>“No-one self-identified to me. My ambition was to be the foreign minister of Australia, and I served in that role for five years. And likewise I was deputy leader of the party for 11 years.</p> <p>“If their ambition was to thwart my aspirations, then they failed.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Former Liberal minister <a href="https://twitter.com/SharmanStone?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SharmanStone</a> recently said a group of male politicians who called themselves the 'swinging dicks' sought to block <a href="https://twitter.com/HonJulieBishop?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HonJulieBishop</a>'s career aspirations: "If their ambition was to thwart my aspirations, then they failed." <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/auspol?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#auspol</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/abc730?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#abc730</a> <a href="https://t.co/ON5zC8xApH">pic.twitter.com/ON5zC8xApH</a></p> — abc730 (@abc730) <a href="https://twitter.com/abc730/status/1368853839642644480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 8, 2021</a></blockquote> <p>Bishop also said that a coronial inquest into the rape claims against Attorney-General Christian Porter was a "logical step" despite having a longstanding professional relationship with Porter.</p> <p>“This is such a difficult area and I feel so unspeakably sad for everyone involved,’’ she said.</p> <p>“And there are families and friends who are still suffering and there will be trauma for some time. The challenge of course is that the allegations are historic, that the woman who made the allegations took her own life, and now a serving cabinet minister has been informed that the police investigation is at an end. So, there are no answers.</p> <p>“I do know, however, that the South Australian coroner is considering an inquest and to me that is the next logical step.</p> <p>“It’s within the criminal justice system. There are checks and balances and there are statutory powers. It has legal standing.</p> <p>“And so, that is the next step and I understand from media reporting that’s what the family would welcome.</p> <p>“I think the mainstream media have been taking very careful legal advice and are ensuring they don’t publish evidence, they don’t cross in the areas of contempt and defamation, although I note the Attorney-General has got a defamation lawyer.</p> <p>“I knew him when he was a young lawyer in Perth. He was a highly intelligent young man. He had a bright future ahead of him. People spoke of Christian Porter as someone who would go on to better things.</p> <p>“I didn’t work closely with him. No-one made complaints to me. The first I heard about these particular allegations was about six months ago from an informal source. So, people hadn’t raised these issues with me.”</p> </div> </div> </div>

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