John Barilaro sues ‘FriendlyJordies’ YouTuber Jordan Shanks

The NSW Deputy Premier has launched a defamation lawsuit against YouTuber FriendlyJordies after a month-long stand off.

NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro has launched his defamation lawsuit against YouTuber FriendlyJordies after a month-long legal stand-off.

But the commentator isn’t the only one in Mr Barilaro’s sights – court documents reveal Google will also be sued after refusing to take down the “offensive” videos.

Jordan Shanks, also known as FriendlyJordies, early this month posted a video mocking a legal letter sent by Mr Barilaro’s lawyers over a series of YouTube videos.

John Barilaro. Picture: David Swift

Paul Svilans, Mr Barilaro’s defamation lawyer, had written to Mr Shanks in December claiming his “vile and racist” videos had hurt Mr Barilaro and were “beneath contempt”.

Mr Barilaro’s deadline for an apology and the removal of Mr Shanks’ videos has long since passed and, on Thursday night, the Deputy Premier made good on his threats and filed suit in the Federal Court.

“By reason of the publication of (the videos) the applicant has been greatly injured in his personal and professional reputation and has been and will be brought into public disrepute, odium, ridicule and contempt,” the statement of claim reads.

Mr Barilaro claims the two videos complained of are part of a “smear campaign” that mocks his Italian heritage and describes him as corrupt.

Mr Shanks, when contacted for comment, provided an article he wrote with Michael West Media that alleges “financial skulduggery” on behalf of Mr Barilaro and his father in relation to Queanbeyan’s Marco Polo Social Club.

He asked for the entire 1,100 word article, which was written in November 2020, to be included as his statement.

Jordan Shanks, aka FriendlyJordies.

Mr Barilaro’s significantly shorter statement only confirmed he had commenced legal action and would make no further comment.

But the politician’s legal documents also reveal his lawyers contacted Google asking them to remove the videos from YouTube in December 2020 but the tech giant did not respond.

The videos have garnered tens of thousands of additional views since Mr Barilaro’s demand for their removal and large corporations continue to advertise on the videos.

Mr Svilans, who was himself depicted in one of Mr Shanks’ videos, briefed prominent silk Sue Chrysanthou SC who made headlines this week when she was ordered off the nation’s highest profile defamation case.

Former Attorney-General Christian Porter had fought unsuccessfully to retain Ms Chrysanthou but it’s understood she is now devoting much of her time to Mr Barilaro’s case instead.

Mr Porter described her as a “true leader” in defamation who had acted “fearlessly” in his legal actions against the ABC.

Mr Shanks, over the last five years, has shifted direction from a male model to a social and political commentator who tears into ideological enemies with memes and videos.

Some years ago he told a fashion blog he was inspired to get into modelling after watching Zoolander – but now he’s more likely to be telling his viewers about the breakdown of bushfire recovery funding in Liberal and Labor electorates or alleging corruption.