Somyurek sues over branch stacking claims

Dumped Labor MP Adem Somyurek has launched defamation action against another media outlet, saying the branch stacking claims are “malicious” and false.

Adem Somyurek has launched defamation action over newspaper articles accusing him of branch stacking. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Dumped Labor MP Adem Somyurek has launched defamation proceedings against the Nine Network, The Age and investigative reporter Nick McKenzie.

Mr Somyurek is suing over a 60 Minutes program and subsequent newspaper articles that appeared in The Age that accused him of branch stacking and illegal criminal activity.

Mr Somyurek was sacked by the Premier from state cabinet and given a life ban from Labor after the allegations were made public in June 2020.

But in documents filed with the Supreme Court on Friday, Mr Somyurek has accused the media organisations of malicious and reckless conduct.

McKenzie, an award-winning journalist who reported the allegations for both 60 Minutes and The Age, is personally accused of “publishing defamatory imputations he knew to be false”.

Mr Somyurek said he repeatedly made himself available to McKenzie to discuss the claims including in phone calls, text messages, and coffee meetings.

But he has claimed McKenzie was intent on destroying his career and reputation and has accused him of working with deputy federal opposition leader Richard Marles and federal MP Anthony Byrne to drive him out of the ALP.

Mr Somyurek is suing for damages, interest and costs and alleges he “has been brought into hatred, ridicule and contempt and has been gravely injured in his character and reputation” as a result of the publications.

He also wants a court order forcing Nine and The Age to remove any article that aired the allegations to be purged from the internet.

And he wants them banned from “any material to the same purport or effect as the publications.”