Cairns courts: Rob Pyne claims ‘Jabba the Hutt’ meme subject of defamation case was satire

Cairns Division 2 councillor Rob Pyne has staunchly defended his use of the now-famous Jabba the Hutt meme central to a $2.5m defamation claim. Find out what he had to say in court.

Five years of defamation litigation has taken a toll, Cairns Regional Councillor Rob Pyne told Cairns District Court in his closing submission.

Former Local Government Association of Queensland chief Greg Hallam sued Cr Pyne and Tablelands resident Lyn O’Connor for defamation primarily for a 2017 Facebook post of Star Wars character Jabba The Hutt, depicted with a T-shirt that was emblazoned with the words ‘LGAQ’.

Jabba The Hutt first appeared in the Star Wars film franchise in 1997. A meme of Jabba the Hutt wearing a T-shirt with 'LGAQ' on it has become infamous as former LGAQ chief executive has sued for defamation over it. Picture: Supplied.

After a lengthy hearing, Judge Dean Morzone KC, has reserved his decision.

Earlier in the trial, Judge Morzone slammed Mr Hallam’s barrister Michael Amerena for offering up documents that had not been sighted by the defendants.

While Mr Hallam’s legal costs have been funded by the LGAQ, Cr Pyne and Ms O’Connor have represented themselves.

Cr Pyne, who is a quadriplegic after breaking his neck in 1991, said Mr Hallam’s action was aimed at silencing critics of local government.

“I don’t have many years ahead of me and the sheer volume this matter is consuming is a matter of great regret and frustration,” Cr Pyne told the court.

Former Local Government Association of Queensland chief executive Greg Hallam has engaged in a defamation case that has dragged on for five years, with Cairns District Court Justice Dean Morzone, KC, reserving his decision at the end of proceedings last week.

“My wife died suddenly on July 30, 2022, our final years spent together with the cloud of this litigating casting a dark shadow over what should have been a happier time,” he said.

He said it caused anxiety for his 83-year-old mother, who had considered Mr Hallam a friend.

Cr Pyne said within an hour of being served with Mr Hallam’s claim – he sued for $2.5m in 2018 – he deleted the Facebook posts and offered to make a public apology.

Division 2 Cairns regional councillor Rob Pyne is facing a defamation claim made by LGAQ CEO Greg Hallam over a series of allegedly defamatory Facebook posts made while Cr Pyne was a state MP. Picture: Stewart McLean

But Cr Pyne said Mr Hallam was “drawing a long bow” suggesting the Jabba the Hutt meme portrayed him as a corrupt crime boss and it was fanciful.

Cr Pyne said the ordinary person saw Jabba the Hutt as a make-believe character who was vastly overweight and highly unattractive and would not infer that Mr Hallam was a “powerful crime boss”.

“I think that proposition is ridiculous,” he said.

“I don’t know how many people saw the Jabba the Hutt post – the publication was only picked up by the widespread media when the plaintiff initiated a suit,” Cr Pyne said.

He said Mr Hallam’s claim the meme was part of an orchestrated campaign against him was untrue.

Jabba The Hutt first appeared in the Star Wars film franchise in 1997. A meme of Jabba the Hutt wearing a T-shirt with 'LGAQ' on it has become infamous as former LGAQ chief executive has sued for defamation over it. Picture: supplied.

“The evidence shows the only place such a campaign existed was in the mind of the plaintiff,” he said.

“The plaintiff is using defamation law to prevent scrutiny of public officials.”

Cr Pyne said Mr Hallam had previously been the subject of satirical publications.

“If as the plaintiff contends, he is identifiable, then by virtue of his prominent public role, the only interpretation open to the ordinary reasonable viewer is that the image was satirical in nature,” he said.

“Satire is fundamental to freedom of speech in a democracy.”

Originally published as Cairns courts: Rob Pyne claims ‘Jabba the Hutt’ meme subject of defamation case was satire