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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/apr/29/hanson-young-defamation-case-keneally-says-leyonhjelm-harmed-senators-reputation
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| Hanson-Young defamation case: Keneally says Leyonhjelm harmed senator’s reputation | Hanson-Young defamation case: Keneally says Leyonhjelm harmed senator’s reputation |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The former New South Wales premier and senator Kristina Keneally has told a court comments by former senator David Leyonhjelm about Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young would have led to the impression she was a “narrow-minded, one-dimensional misandrist”. | The former New South Wales premier and senator Kristina Keneally has told a court comments by former senator David Leyonhjelm about Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young would have led to the impression she was a “narrow-minded, one-dimensional misandrist”. |
| On the first day of week-long defamation hearing in the federal court in Sydney on Monday, the court heard the Greens senator had been “acutely hurt” by comments made by Leyonhjelm following a bitter debate in the Senate last year. | |
| Hanson-Young is suing Leyonhjelm over interviews he gave between 28 June and 2 July to Sky News, Melbourne radio station 3AW and the ABC’s 7.30 program, and a media statement posted on 28 June. | |
| It followed a feud in the Senate in June last year sparked by comments in a debate about women’s safety in which Hanson-Young alleged Leyonhjelm had told her to “stop shagging men”. | It followed a feud in the Senate in June last year sparked by comments in a debate about women’s safety in which Hanson-Young alleged Leyonhjelm had told her to “stop shagging men”. |
| Senators to testify in Hanson-Young defamation trial against Leyonhjelm | Senators to testify in Hanson-Young defamation trial against Leyonhjelm |
| In the subsequent media broadcasts he elaborated on his comments to Hanson-Young on the floor of parliament, asserting, for example, that she had said “something along the lines of all men being rapists”. | In the subsequent media broadcasts he elaborated on his comments to Hanson-Young on the floor of parliament, asserting, for example, that she had said “something along the lines of all men being rapists”. |
| Hanson-Young says she was defamed by his portrayal of her as a hypocrite and misandrist. | Hanson-Young says she was defamed by his portrayal of her as a hypocrite and misandrist. |
| In his opening statement Hanson-Young’s barrister, Kieran Smark SC, said Leyonhjelm had “falsely attributed to her words she never said and then [sought] to build a further attack upon that false foundation”. | |
| Smark said Leyonhjelm’s comments made Hanson-Young out to be “a hypocrite in that she claimed that all men were rapists but nevertheless had sexual relations with them”, and a misandrist by alleging she has “made the absurd claim that all men are rapists”. | Smark said Leyonhjelm’s comments made Hanson-Young out to be “a hypocrite in that she claimed that all men were rapists but nevertheless had sexual relations with them”, and a misandrist by alleging she has “made the absurd claim that all men are rapists”. |
| He said Leyonhjelm had engaged in “something of a campaign” against Hanson-Young, and that his comments had been “acutely hurtful” to the Senator. | |
| On Monday Keneally was called as a character witness on behalf of Hanson-Young, saying she believed people who “read this commentary” by Leyonhjelm would have believed Hanson-Young was a “narrow-minded, one-dimensional misandrist”. | |
| Keneally said Hanson-Young’s “advocacy on behalf of women and children to be safe from violence would be undermined” by the comments, particularly in the eyes of people who were not previously familiar with her. | Keneally said Hanson-Young’s “advocacy on behalf of women and children to be safe from violence would be undermined” by the comments, particularly in the eyes of people who were not previously familiar with her. |
| In his cross-examination of Keneally, Leyonhjelm’s barrister, Tony Morris QC, suggested the former senator’s comments about Hanson-Young were part of the general rough and tumble of Australian politics and not defamatory. | In his cross-examination of Keneally, Leyonhjelm’s barrister, Tony Morris QC, suggested the former senator’s comments about Hanson-Young were part of the general rough and tumble of Australian politics and not defamatory. |
| While she agreed “in general terms” with his assertion that politics had become more aggressive, she said it could also “be the case that throwing mud sometimes … can stick, even if it’s not true”. | |
| Hanson-Young had characterised Leyonhjelm’s comment as “slut-shaming”, and during cross-examination Keneally was asked about the meaning of the term. | |
| She defined it as using a person’s sexual activity as “a weapon in political debate”, saying she did not think it was “appropriate”. | |
| Keneally entered the Senate chamber in the latter part of the debate in June last year, and said her seat in the chamber was too far from Hanson-Young and Leyonhjelm to be able to hear any conversation. | |
| She said she did not recall any interjections made by Hanson-Young during the debate. | She said she did not recall any interjections made by Hanson-Young during the debate. |
| The former trade union leader Bill Kelty was also called as a character witness by Hanson-Young. He said that while he believed “standards have slipped” in public debate, the comments made by Leyonhjelm were different from anything he had experienced in his public life. | |
| “I have suffered slings and arrows [but] in my entire political life people have not accused me of being against women simply because they are women,” he said. | |
| “Not [on] one occasion in my entire public life have people asked me to explain my sexual preferences or priorities or any of my sexual relationships. Not once.” | |
| The Greens senator Nick McKim was also called as a witness on Monday. Under cross-examination, Morris asked what Hanson-Yong’s “emotional appearance” was following the debate. | The Greens senator Nick McKim was also called as a witness on Monday. Under cross-examination, Morris asked what Hanson-Yong’s “emotional appearance” was following the debate. |
| He replied: “Normal … to the best of my recollection”. | He replied: “Normal … to the best of my recollection”. |
| “She didn’t come across as in any way upset?” Morris asked. | “She didn’t come across as in any way upset?” Morris asked. |
| “Not that I noticed,” he replied. | “Not that I noticed,” he replied. |
| McKim also agreed that the comments made by Leyonhjelm had not made him think less of Hanson-Young. | McKim also agreed that the comments made by Leyonhjelm had not made him think less of Hanson-Young. |
| “No,” he replied. | “No,” he replied. |
| McKim also agreed that he did not recall hearing from other members of the Australian Greens that Leyonhjelm’s comments about Hanson-Young had led them to be critical of her. | McKim also agreed that he did not recall hearing from other members of the Australian Greens that Leyonhjelm’s comments about Hanson-Young had led them to be critical of her. |
| Sarah Hanson-Young | Sarah Hanson-Young |
| David Leyonhjelm | David Leyonhjelm |
| Australian politics | Australian politics |
| Kristina Keneally | Kristina Keneally |
| Australian Greens | Australian Greens |
| news | news |
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