Indigenous activist behind Cheer Cheese campaign Stephen Hagan seeks $500k in Daily Mail suit

In a racial vilification claim, Stephen Hagan claims a journalist falsely implied he would seek to rename Paul’s ‘Smarter White’ milk.

Dr Hagan previously led a controversial campaign to rebrand Cheer Cheese from its previous name, due to it being a racial slur. Picture Glenn Campbell

A prominent Indigenous academic behind the campaign to rename Cheer Cheese has made good on a promise to sue the Daily Mail for racial vilification, after they allegedly falsely implied he would actively campaign to rename Paul’s ‘Smarter White’ milk.

Stephen Hagan, a former lecturer at The University of Queensland, is seeking $500,000 in damages from the Daily Mail, following an article which he claims “represented a deliberate distortion of the truth” by inferring he was offended by the milk.

Dr Hagan initially took his complaint to the Australian Human Rights Commission, seeking compensation from both the Daily Mail and Nine’s Today Show, who also reported the comments.

But after Nine apologised and provided a private settlement, Dr Hagan took action against the Daily Mail in the human rights division of the Federal Court.

In his application, Dr Hagan alleged the Daily Mail article falsely implied he was personally insulted by the ‘Smarter White’ milk brand, and said the article was written “to create a story where there was none, based on (his) race”.

Dr Hagan has previously led a successful campaign to change the name of Cheer Cheese from a racial slur.

The article included an interview with Opposition Indigenous Affairs spokeswoman Jacinta Price, who called the idea of renaming the milk “ridiculous”.

Dr Hagan has alleged Senator Price’s comments were included to “insult and humiliate him” and “incite readers against him” on the basis of his race.

Coon cheese is being replaced by Cheer. Pictures: Benedict Brook/Stephen Hagan.

But the Daily Mail has demanded the case be dismissed and Dr Hagan pay all costs.

The publisher’s defence filed to court claims Dr Hagan told a journalist about “conversations with people who did not buy Paul’s Smarter White Milk because the inference of ‘white’ and the connotation that white people are smart.”

“During the interview, (Dr Hagan) informed (the journalist) that he had not taken action in relation to the name of the milk, but if enough people brought it to (his) attention, he would be happy to write a letter to Pauls asking them to consider changing the name of the milk,” the defence reads.

However Dr Hagan denies this, saying he told the journalist explicitly he was “not offended by the name and had no intention of pursuing a campaign to change the name of Paul’s ‘Smarter White’ milk.”

He said the Daily Mail’s article “offended, insulted and humiliated” him, and “trivialised” his genuine concern and “race-based concern” with the Cheer Cheese campaign.

The article followed a post made by former NSW One Nation Leader Mark Latham, who commented that he was “surprised the mob haven’t cancelled (Paul’s Smarter White) milk”.

The headline of the Daily Mail article, which is no longer available online, said Dr Hagan, after forcing Cheer Cheese’s old brand from the shelves, “now wants Pauls to consider scrapping ‘Smarter White’ milk brand – because it’s offensive to Aboriginals”.

Dr Hagan has previously led several social justice campaigns across Australia, including the removal of the N-slur from a sign in the Toowoomba Sports Ground.

The matter is due for its first court hearing on October 9.