Sarah Hanson-Young presses ahead with defamation suit against David Leyonhjelm

The Greens senator has proceeded with legal action against David Leyonhjelm over allegedly defamatory remarks.

Lawyers representing Senator Hanson-Young, left, have filed defamation proceedings in the Federal Court against David Leyonhjelm, right.

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young has proceeded with legal action against Liberal Democrat senator David Leyonhjelm over allegedly defamatory remarks, which she says caused “considerable harm to me and my family”.

Lawyers representing Senator Hanson-Young have filed defamation proceedings in the Federal Court following a bitter feud between the two crossbenchers after Senator Leyonhjelm told her to “stop shagging men” during a parliamentary debate about arming women for their safety.

Senator Leyonhjelm claimed he made the “shagging” comment because Senator Hanson-Young had implied during the debate that “all men are rapists” — an assertion she since has rejected.

But it was his further comments on Sky News and 3AW radio in the following days that prompted Senator Hanson-Young to consider legal action.

“I’m calling this out because it is wrong,” Senator ­Hanson-Young said in a statement yesterday.

“No woman, whether she be working behind a bar, in an office or in the Parliament, ­deserves to be treated this way, and it needs to stop.”

Senator Leyonhjelm said last night he was confident Senator Hanson-Young’s claims were “without merit” and he would seek costs accordingly.