Jo Dyer awarded legal costs in Porter case

The Federal Court has ordered Christian Porter and barrister Sue Chrysanthou to pay legal costs to the friend of the dead woman who accused Christian Porter of rape.

Christian Porter vehemently denies the historic rape claim. Picture: Stefan Gosatti / AFP

Christian Porter and barrister Sue Chrysanthou have been ordered to pay $430,200 in legal costs to Jo Dyer, a friend of a deceased woman who had accused the former Attorney-General of raping her three decades ago, after a court ruled there was a conflict of interest in the case last year.

Arts administrator Joanne Dyer, the friend of the woman who accused Mr Porter of raping her three decades ago, will receive costs from Mr Porter and silk Sue Chrysanthou over a federal court hearing that took place in late May 2021.

It came after Mr Porter launched legal proceedings against the ABC, when the broadcaster published a story about an unnamed cabinet minister accused of a historical alleged rape.

Jo Dyer speaking to media outside the Federal Court of Australia, in Sydney last May. Picture: James Gourley

After engaging Ms Chrysanthou to act on his behalf, a four-day hearing was brought by Ms Dyer to prevent the high profile silk from acting for Mr Porter over what she called a clear conflict of interest, as she had previously met with Ms Chrysanthou in November 2020.

Last May, Justice Tom Thawley ordered Ms Chrysanthou to relinquish the case after ruling she had received confidential information that was relevant to the case and could present a “danger of misuse”.

Mr Porter dropped his defamation case against the ABC three days later. At the time Justice Thawley ordered both Mr Porter and Ms Chrysanthou to pay costs, but did not make a ruling about whether those costs would be shared.

On Wednesday evening the Federal Court ruled the pair would share the $430,200 in legal costs. In December, Ms Dyer announced she will run as an independent in the marginal South Australian seat of Boothby.

The seat is currently held by retiring Liberal MP Nicolle Flint on a margin of 1.4 per cent, making it one of the most marginal seats in the country.

Sue Chrysanthou walking into Federal law court last May. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Adam Yip