Alan Jones and Nick Cater face libel case over Grantham flood claims
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Version 0 of 1. A wealthy Toowoomba family is suing broadcaster Alan Jones and News Corporation columnist Nick Cater for defamation over comments linking their quarry to the fatal Grantham flash flood of 2011. The Wagner family lodged a libel claim against Jones, radio station 2GB licensee Harbour Radio and Brisbane station 4BC, and Cater in the Queensland supreme court on Wednesday. Their claim relates to coverage earlier this year by Jones on his radio show and Cater, a columnist for the Australian who also made comments on a 60 Minutes program linking a wall at the Wagner’s quarry to the inundation of the town of Grantham, which killed 12 people. Related: Grantham floods: Queensland businessman challenges claims quarry made it worse Company director Denis Wagner said his family was taking legal action because it had been subject to sustained attacks, specifically “false statements” that it was responsible for the 2011 tragedy and separate issues regarding the construction and operation of its Brisbane West Wellcamp airport in Toowoomba. The lawsuit comes weeks after a state government inquiry chaired by Walter Sofronoff QC cleared the Wagners of any role in contributing to the flood. Wagner said: “The outcome of proceedings will hopefully in some way go toward correcting the false and defamatory statements about the 2011 Grantham flood tragedy and the Brisbane West Wellcamp Airport that have caused significant damage to the reputation of our family, the operation of the airport and our wider business interests.” Sofronoff said at the conclusion of the $2.5m inquiry that in light of “the unexpected nature of this flood and the speed of its onset and the state of knowledge at the time, nobody could have done anything”. He said he felt Wagner, a prominent businessman, had been “viciously blamed by some elements of the media” over the flood. |