Opinion: Andrew Laming run out of politics by fake news, media complicit

It took police less than a day to clear an MP of upskirting claims, but that didn’t stop the Twitter mob, writes Des Houghton.

Quick quiz: What do Derryn Hinch, Sarah Hanson-Young, Murray Watt and a string of journalists, actors, bloggers, academics have in common?

They have all issued grovelling apologies to Andrew Laming, the federal member for the bayside electorate of Bowman that straddles Brisbane and Redlands.

The tone was set by a national political reporter who said: “In March 2021 I published tweets about Andrew Laming MP that referenced him taking a photo up a woman’s skirt.

“This was factually incorrect; the woman was not wearing a skirt.

“I regret this error and unreservedly apologise to Andrew Laming for the hurt and distress I have caused him. I corrected it as soon as it was brought to my attention and have deleted the tweets.”

A university academic, who cares not for full stops, said: “Earlier in 2021 I published
2 tweets about Andrew Laming MP

“I accept that the claims made about Mr Laming in those tweets were false & defamatory

Outgoing Member for Bowman Andrew Laming has extracted apologies from a string of politicians and journalists.

“I unconditionally withdraw those claims and apologise to Andrew Laming for the hurt and offence caused to him by reason of my conduct”

More than a dozen media commentators and federal and state MPs issued apologies after they got concerns notices from gun defamation lawyer Rebekah Giles, who is acting for Laming.

Rebekah Giles is the lawyer who defended Christian Porter.

A top company lawyer I know was almost quivering at the mention of her name. She is relentless.

A number of Facebook posts by Labor figures and a union group were also deleted.

There are two prominent people who deleted tweets without any apology that I know of.

One was Senator Kristina Keneally, a former NSW Premier. And there are two members of the Queensland Parliament still under scrutiny for other comments they made on social media. One post, in my opinion, was an indirect smear on Laming’s character.

The affair began innocently enough when Laming went to the bayside landscape supplier Nuway at Thornlands on December 18, 2019, to buy some river stones for a heritage property he was restoring.

Labor senator Kristina Keneally

In what appears to me to be an unremarkable act, Laming, took a photograph of a young woman on bended knee putting cans of soft drink in a small bar fridge on the floor.

She was “crouching” not bending over, and she was not showing underwear or revealing a G-string, as some reported.

I know this because I have copies of the pages of Det Sen Sgt Mat Wickson’s notebook, where he says in his own hand that the woman was wearing work shorts and a work shirt with long socks and work boots.

Wickson described the shorts as “ruggers”. He said she wore her polo shirt out, over her work shorts. So, any suggestion her underwear was visible was incorrect.

The copper’s notes also confirm that Laming’s picture was a general one of the workplace taken at normal zoom.

I’ve decided not to name the woman here. She must be sick of it all by now.

I do know it is not unusual for politicians of all persuasions to photograph people they meet and post them on Facebook.

Journalist turned senator Derryn Hinch is another to have apologised.

On that fateful day he went to buy the stones, Laming even had a conversation with the woman about her future, and she later befriended him on Facebook.

Laming was officially cleared by police in less than a day. Yet the media tsunami was unstoppable.

I’ve been pounding the keyboard for more than 50 years and can honestly say I cannot remember a case where the commentators got it so wrong.

The cold hard truth for all of us in the media is that Laming was bullied out of office by fake news.

Journalism is in a bad place when it stoops to reporting allegations aired on social media.

Radio, TV and print media were in a frenzy and there was even a rally outside Laming’s Cleveland office with Labor’s rent-a-crowd holding up insulting signs.

Laming was even criticised by his own side, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison also weighing in to condemn him before he was fully apprised of the facts. ScoMo had done another Holgate. From that time on Laming’s political future was untenable.

Then Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese called him a creep.

Journalist Louise Milligan cost the ABC over $150,000.

Laming remains an MP but will exit office the day the election is called.

Laming has already had a significant victory in the battle to clear his name after Twitter attacks by high-profile ABC journalist Louise Milligan.

Milligan posted multiple tweets which Laming alleged “irrevocably damaged his personal and professional reputation”.

ABC managing director David Anderson said at parliamentary Estimates hearings that ABC paid $79,000 in damages to Dr Laming plus $45,000 for his legal costs.

The ABC’s costs were $168,000, and rising.

But the drama is far from over. Laming is suing Channel 9, the original publisher of the accusations.

In court documents, Dr Laming’s lawyers say he has “suffered substantial hurt, distress and embarrassment”.

Laming is seeking damages, interest and costs, as well as an order that Nine be permanently restrained from repeating such claims in the future.

It’s destined to be a landmark case for journalism that may run right up to next year’s election.