Andrew Laming wants $1m payout from Nine

Former federal Liberal MP Andrew Laming is seeking a payout of close to $1m in his defamation action against the Nine Network.

Former Liberal MP Andrew Laming. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Former federal Liberal MP Andrew Laming is seeking a payout of close to $1m in his defamation action against the Nine Network.

Mediation talks between the parties broke down last Friday in Brisbane despite Nine earlier admitting the central claim of a report about the veteran MP was untrue.

On March 27 last year, Nine aired a segment on its nightly news bulletin in which the then federal MP was accused of committing the criminal offence of taking an inappropriate “upskirting” photo of a Brisbane store worker, Crystal White, without her consent.

Dr Laming was never charged over the incident, and repeatedly requested Nine apologise to him for the erroneous claim that he upskirted Ms White.

He also asked for the story to be removed from the network’s digital platforms.

Nine refused to comply.

The report earned Nine reporter Peter Fegan and producer Rebeka Powell a Walkley Award in the television/video news reporting category and the gong for Clarions Queensland 2021 Journalist of the Year.

Dr Laming launched defamation proceedings against Nine last August, seeking general damages, aggravated damages and special damages, as well as legal costs.

It is understood he is seeking a payout of almost $1m, including legal costs, as well as a detailed public apology.

A mediation hearing in the Federal Court last Friday was unable to resolve the matter and ­negotiations between the parties have continued this week.

The Federal Court has set down a three-week trial for the alleged defamation in October.

It was revealed by The Australian last week that Nine had entirely withdrawn its “truth” defence in relation to the “upskirting” claim, as well as its defences of “qualified privilege” and “honest opinion”.

Documents lodged in the Federal Court include an admission from Nine that the news report had conveyed some defamatory imputations of Dr Laming and he was “entitled to damages”.