Warren Tredrea tells Federal Court he has paid legal debt to Channel 9 over Covid lawsuit – because Australia has ‘no lawful gold or silver coin’

Former Port Adelaide footballer Warren Tredrea claims his debt to Channel 9 over a failed Covid lawsuit has been paid – because Australia has “no lawful gold or silver coin”.

Port Adelaide Football Club board member Warren Tredrea has told a court he has paid his debt to Channel 9 with a legal IOU because Australia has no “gold or silver coins” in circulation.

Tredrea has also claimed, in Federal Court documents, he is “not an entity” nor a “legal person, citizen or resident” but a “private man” whose “yes be yes” and “no be no”.

The court has ordered Tredrea to reimburse Nine’s legal costs – estimated at between $100,000 and $200,000 – incurred by his attempt to resurrect his wrongful dismissal lawsuit.

Warren Tredrea’s wrongful dismissal lawsuit was unsuccessful, and his appeal was rejected. Picture: Russell Millard Photography

However in his documents, filed ahead of a hearing on Tuesday, Tredrea says he cannot pay his debt with known legal tender because Australian currency lacks gold and silver coins.

Instead, he has sent his former employer – which terminated his contract over his refusal to be vaccinated for Covid-19 – “a promissory note”.

The document is a written promise, by one party, to make a payment at a future date under terms and conditions outlined within it.

Tredrea says that, because he sent the note to Nine which did not return it within 72 hours, his debt has been discharged.

“I answer to the name Warren Tredrea of South Australia, a private man, my yes be yes, my no be no,” he writes.

“I am not an entity, legal person, citizen, resident or any form of creature of statute.

“I have not been provided with any material facts or evidence that shows there exists any lawful gold or silver coin of substance in common circulation upon which to close, pay and extinguish an account.

“I believe sincerely that none exists … I believe no gold or silver coin in circulation can pay a debt.”

Tredrea did not have to pay Nine’s costs for the trial, but was ordered to reimburse its legal fees for the unsuccessful appeal. Picture: NCA NewsWire

In March 2024, Tredrea lost his $5.77 million claim against Nine, which he claimed had unreasonably fired him, as its sports presenter, due to its Covid-19 vaccination mandate.

During that trial he denied he was “an anti-vaxxer” who had used the movement’s “language” on radio.

He also denied he was dismissed for poor performance, “stumbles” during broadcasts or boosting a yoga business owned by his wife – a supporter of “freedom rallies” – on his social media.

“I was a presenter who presented, found exclusive stories and distributed them to other workers who won media awards off the back of me,” he told the court.

The court ruled Tredrea’s dismissal was “not unreasonable” given his “opinions” about vaccines “were not particularly well-informed” nor “soundly based”.

Despite his defeat, Tredrea was spared paying Nine’s costs – however he subsequently filed an appeal which, in November 2024, the court denied.

In April 2025, it ordered Tredrea pay Nine’s costs of the appeal, saying his challenge was filed “without reasonable cause”.

It further noted Nine had, five months before the appeal judgment, offered “a reasonable ‘walk away’ offer to settle the appeal” before it had been heard.

Tredrea is no longer represented by the counsel who conducted his trial.

In court on Tuesday, Brendan Roberts KC, for Nine, said his client and Tredrea had “reached an impasse” on costs.

Nine, he said, did not accept the promissory note was valid payment of the debt owed.

“(Promissory notes) have been described, by this court, as somewhere between misguided and disingenuous,” he said.

He said Nine wanted the court to order Tredrea make a “lump sum payment” of the costs owed.

“Tredrea has raised issues (in his documents) that he’s not a citizen of the Commonwealth of Australia, that he is not a legal entity but a sovereign citizen, and that there’s no recognised currency of the Commonwealth of Australia,” he said.

“(Resolution is) likely to be a more arduous task than it was when the costs order was made... it would be undesirable to have the process become its own cottage industry.”

Tredrea, who represented himself in court, rejected that submission.

“I’m not pretending to be anything sovereign or a sovereign citizen - what I’ve done is provide a promissory note for payment,” he said.

He cited several pieces of Federal legislation, saying they permitted “any debt to be resolved” by such a note.

“I’m not arguing any of this right now... for me, they (Nine) have held onto the promissory note for over 72 hours (so) the liability has been discharged.

“I’ve paid in excess of what they sought... there’s no reason (the case) can’t be discharged right now... the evidence is there, I’m complying with (the legislation).”

Justice Stephen McDonald ordered the parties to file written arguments for consideration by the Full Court on a date to be set.

Originally published as Warren Tredrea tells Federal Court he has paid legal debt to Channel 9 over Covid lawsuit – because Australia has ‘no lawful gold or silver coin’