Christine Holgate engages Christian Porter’s lawyer amid AusPost saga
Christine Holgate has engaged leading reputational risk lawyer Rebekah Giles and former Law Council president, Arthur Moses SC.
Christine Holgate has engaged leading reputational risk lawyer Rebekah Giles and former president of the Law Council of Australia, Arthur Moses SC, in relation to the legal issues arising from her employment as the CEO of Australia Post.
The Australian understands that through her lawyers Ms Holgate has invited Communications Minister Paul Fletcher and Senate leader Simon Birmingham, as well as the board of Australia Post, to participate in a mediation session before a retired judge.
The Australian also understands that Ms Holgate believes that the public litigation may involve evidence needing to be given by members of parliament, including Prime Minister Scott Morrison, would not be in the interests of the parties involved, hence the mediation offer to settle the dispute.
The board of Australia Post is due to appear before Senate Estimates next Tuesday. Under the Legal Services Directions Act 2007 Australia Post is required to be a model litigant, meaning that it is obliged to explore settlement options in cases where it may have acted inappropriately.
Ms Holgate through her lawyers has also taken action against online publisher Crikey over an article it published which included allegations against the former CEO of Australia Post under the heading “the real reason to attack Christine Holgate”. It included a cartoon suggesting she is two faced. Crikey has removed the article and this morning issued a public apology to Ms Holgate.
It is understood that the online publisher as part of the settlement agreed to has paid Ms Holgate’s legal fees. The apology and retraction follows a similar backdown by Crikey in relation to action taken by Lachlan Murdoch over the same article.
Ms Giles also acts for former Attorney-General Christian Porter, now minister for industry, in his defamation case against the ABC over historical rape allegations. Mr Porter strong denies the accusation. Ms Giles also acts for former Liberal Staffer Brittany Higgins and represented Sarah Hanson-Young in her defamation win against former Senator David Leyonhjelm.
Peter van Onselen is a professor of politics and public policy at the University of Western Australia and Griffith University.
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