Former MP claims he was the victim of a ‘political hit-job’

Former federal Liberal MP Dennis Jensen believed he was the victim of a “political hit job”, a court was told yesterday.

Former federal Liberal MP Dennis Jensen in 2016. Picture: Colin Murty

Former federal Liberal MP Dennis Jensen believed he was the victim of a “political hit job” when The Australian first published an article detailing a book he had written about a fictional war ­between Australia and Indonesia, a court has heard.

Dr Jensen is suing Nationwide News, the publisher of The Australian, over a series of articles published in 2016 that referenced the book, as well as the breakdown of his marriage. Dr Jensen lost preselection for the WA seat of Tangney days after the first ­articles were published.

Under questioning from his lawyer in the West Australian ­Supreme Court yesterday, Dr Jensen said he was “furious, embarrassed and worried” after the first article was published and ­believed he was the victim of a “political hit job”.

The first story claimed Dr Jensen wrote a letter to a literary agent on parliamentary letterhead seeking a publishing deal for his novel, The Sky Warriors. He told Andrew Burrell, a journalist with The Australian, that he had sought to have the book published while sitting as an MP, but now denies sending the letter.

Yesterday, Dr Jensen said Burrell had contacted him seeking comment and had told Dr Jensen he had proof that he had tried to get the book published.

“I accepted, being an experienced journalist with The Aus­tralian that he was, he would have done that due diligence and made sure I sent it,” Dr Jensen said.

The former politician said he couldn’t be “100 per cent sure” at the time whether he had requested a publishing deal, but ­“accepted (Burrell’s) assertion” that he had done so.

“With a lot of these types of things, it’s the denial that gets you,” he said.

Dr Jensen yesterday detailed how he had held a meeting early in his parliamentary career at which he and staffers had discussed potentially seeking a publisher for his book. Among the staffers present were Godfrey Lowe, who Dr Jensen said would become a supporter for the man who would defeat him in the Liberal preselection for Tangney, Ben Morton. “We had a meeting, they advised me strongly against sending it for publication,” he said. “From my recollection I concurred with that view and the book was never sent.”

Dr Jensen also said the publication of a second story, which stated he had left the family home and his electorate and was living with his girlfriend, was “reprehensible”. The hearing continues.