Queensland MP Jason Costigan claims rape fear allegation left him defamed

The Queensland MP expelled from the LNP after the mother of a teenage girl complained her daughter “feared she would be raped” by him, has slapped the woman with a $350,000 defamation lawsuit.

THE Queensland MP expelled from the LNP after the mother of a teenage girl complained her daughter “feared she would be raped” by him, has slapped woman with a $350,000 defamation lawsuit.

Whitsunday MP Jason Noel Costigan, 48, sued the Victorian woman, who The Sunday Mail has not named, in the District Court in Brisbane on January 23 claiming her complaint to the LNP last year and seven posts she allegedly made on Facebook hurt and embarrassed him and left him distressed and caused him to be “denied” lucrative professional appointments, including reducing his re-election chances.

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Costigan alleges that the mother’s complaint to the LNP early last year included the allegation that her daughter “feared she would be raped” after Costigan followed her into her bedroom and closed the door behind her at her grandparent’s rural Victorian property.

The complaint also allegedly stated that Costigan told the teenager he “liked young girls” and he touched her on her back and picked up her underwear from the floor “turned it over in his hands and told her that he liked it”.

Costigan claims that the complaint to the LNP carried the false and defamatory meaning that he was “a rapist, or was capable of raping”, was a creep and lacked moral probity.

Costigan claims the woman also posted on his political Facebook page, which identifies him as an MP, and her own Facebook page, and the posts were seen by a “substantial number” of people, and comments were posted in reply.

Councillor Jan Clifford, MP Jason Costigan and TW GM Tash Wheeler at the Whitsunday Reef Festival Magic Mile down the main street of Airlie Beach

He alleges that on September 2, 2018 she posted on his political Facebook page “Keep away from my daughters and everyone else’s, you disgusting creep”, as well as “I will strongly allege that Jason Costigan is misogyny personified. He Knows why”, on another date, in response to a comment from another Facebook user.

She is also alleged to have posted on her own Facebook profile on January 24 “Jason Costigan, F*** off out of Gippsland you f**king creep – don’t come near my family again”.

He also alleges she posted on Mr Costigan’s page “Keep away from my family Jason Costigan” on September 7, 2018 and two days later posted: “Don’t come near my family, Jason Costigan”.

On November 25, 2018 she is alleged to have posted a comment on Mr Costigan’s Facebook page saying “stay away from Gippsland and don’t come near my family again. Have some respect for the country people you stay with”.

Costigan has asked the court to ban the woman from continuing to publish the statements, or similar ones, about him.

Costigan alleges that his expulsion from the LNP on February 1 last year meant he is “significantly less likely to be re-elected as the Member for Whitsunday”.

Costigan was elected to state parliament as the member for Whitsunday on March 24, 2012.

The woman has not filed a defence to the claims. No date for hearing has been set.