Dustin Martin’s manager in new legal fight

Dustin Martin’s manager Ralph Carr is in a legal costs battle over tweets about Victoria’s lockdown response.

Dustin Martin’s manager Ralph Carr is fighting a legal costs battle after settling a defamation suit over social media posts about Victoria’s lockdown response.

The manager to the stars came to a confidential agreement with Henry Pinskier over comments he made about the health investor’s company and the Victorian State Government.

But this week, Dr Pinskier launched a new claim against Mr Carr over his legal costs.

The defamation case ran for almost two years, which could leave Mr Carr with a bill of tens of thousands of dollars.

Victorian Supreme Court documents released this week reveal Mr Carr was “summoned to attend before the Costs Court for a mediation on 4 December 22 at 10am.”

The mediation would be done on Zoom, the documents state, to deal with an “application by (Henry Pinskier) for the costs which are payable to (him) by the respondent, Ralph Carr, under the Deed of Release executed by the parties and dated 11 May 22.”

The court case is listed as a “taxation of costs” matter, which is legal speak for a court determining the amount of costs a party is owed.

The Supreme Court has a schedule of fees that lawyers are allowed to charge for costs.

Dustin Martin hugs his manager Ralph Carr after the 2019 AFL Grand Final. Picture: Mark Stewart

The matter was likely to decide whether Dr Pinskier’s legal costs were fair.

Ball and Partners Lawyers have lodged the claim for Dr Pinskier from their Elizabeth Street office.

Mr Carr started his career in music, signing artists including Tina Arena, Vanessa Amorosi and Kate Ceberano before taking on Martin as a client.

He set up a $9 million, seven-year deal for Martin to stay at Richmond, and lucrative marketing deals such as the midfielder’s tie up with Bonds underwear.

HanesBrands, which owns Bonds, credited Martin’s advertising campaign for turning the company into a $500 million business in Australia.

The defamation case centred on social media posts Mr Carr made during the peak of Victoria’s 111-day lockdown in 2020.

Mr Carr had criticised Dr Pinskier in a tweet and LinkedIn post in September 2020.

The court case also included a tweet from another person that Mr Carr had shared, which

Dr Pinskier’s lawyers had claimed defamed him because the posts falsely accused him of acting “improperly in obtaining the hotel security contract for hotel quarantine in Victoria in that he used his influence in the Labor Party and his daughter’s employment with the Premier, Daniel Andrews, in order to obtain the hotel security contract for his company without a tender.”

Dr Pinskier, an investor in health, technology and clean energy, and Mr Carr declined to comment.

[e-mail]