By Stephen Brook and Kishor Napier-Raman
At the end of our recent item last month about high-profile solicitor Rebekah Giles, her former client, barrister Gina Edwards, celebrity pooch Oscar the cavoodle, A Current Affair, a $150,000 defamation payout and a dispute over legal payments, we promised more to come.
Lawyer Rebekah Giles.Credit: Steven Siewert
But, boy, we didn’t realise how much more.
Edwards is in dispute with her former lawyers, Giles George, and has now alleged in court that Giles specifically offered to coach her during cross-examination, strictly not allowed.
Edwards made the allegations at a hearing in the Federal Court that flowed from Edwards’ celebrated defamation victory against A Current Affair, when she was awarded $150,000.
Federal Court judge Michael Wigney ruled that A Current Affair (broadcast by Nine, owner of The Age) had falsely depicted her as a “dog thief” who had stolen Oscar, who has his own Instagram account. Nine was ordered to pay Edwards $150,000 in damages, plus her legal costs of about $1.2 million.
Last week in court, Edwards detailed fresh allegations about Giles’ conduct during the defamation case.
“Prior to my cross-examination, Ms Giles attempted to coach me by stating that she would pull her ear if I was doing badly on cross-examination, and your honour might recall …,” Edwards told the court before she was interrupted by Wigney.
“Ms Edwards, Ms Edwards, really, you’re really testing my patience,” Wigney said.
Earlier, Edwards dropped another bombshell allegation, without specifying any individuals.
“There has been a pattern of bullying and intimidation which I have gone through since February 2023 that is detailed in many documents and is filed with the Law Society, and they are investigating, and I provided all the supporting documentation.”
But while Edwards made her submissions, she is yet to table evidence in court.
As CBD previously reported, Edwards has complained to the Law Society of NSW, alleging that Giles George didn’t follow legal professional rules in relation to their costs agreement. An additional complaint to the Office of the NSW Legal Services Commissioner about Giles George was closed on receipt. Edwards previously told the court that the firm, known for its PR-forward approach to client representation, had billed her for briefing journalists about the case.
Edwards declined to comment, while a spokeswoman for Giles George said: “These were allegations made from the bar table – unsupported by evidence. The allegations are completely false and should not have been made without a proper basis.”
Wigney ordered the costs be paid into a court registry pending the outcome of the Edwards dispute, and adjourned until March 3.
Gin and bear it
Gin is not the first alcoholic beverage that comes to mind when our thoughts turn to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. But maybe newish Queensland Premier David Crisafulli knows something we don’t.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.Credit: AAP
Parliamentary disclosure logs reveal that when the Liberal premier visited the Labor prime minister last year, he came bearing a gift – a bottle of Queensland gin.
It might be that Crisafulli was aware that The Australian Financial Review reported that Poor Toms Sydney Dry Gin – made in the PM’s home base of Marrickville – was one of Albanese’s top five alcohol purchases for consumption in The Lodge and Kirribilli House in 2022-23, with 25 bottles bought during his first year in office.
We were unable to drum up details of the visit, nor of the brand of gin given by Crisafulli, but did note that the bottle was not surrendered by the PM, as happens with many register gifts.
Crisafulli, whose cane farmer father, Antonino “Tony” Crisafulli, traces his family origins to Sicily, told CBD: “My parents raised me to never turn up empty-handed, and I didn’t miss the opportunity to ensure there was a Queensland product on the prime minister’s shelf.”
In gin, as in rugby league, nothing is as important as state of origin.
Molan lands Musk gig
Erin Molan has gone global.
The broadcaster, dumped by Sky News last year, was revealed as anchor of Elon Musk’s new online brain fart, 69X Minutes, hosted on the platform formerly known as Twitter.
We were desperate to know the story of how a trying-hard Aussie media personality landed that gig, and just how involved the world’s richest internet troll (and person) was in giving the former Footy Show (NRL edition) host a new job.
Molan didn’t answer our calls, but instead phoned a friend and arose from her sickbed long enough to spill the beans to apparently rehabilitated broadcaster Chris Smith on his 2SM morning radio show.
Erin Molan on the set of 69X Minutes.Credit: Screenshot
“You have been harassing Elon Musk for years, have you not?” Smith asked Molan.
“Oh my gosh, it’s like borderline stalker. In fact, I’d say if they went to court, they would probably convict me,” she said.
And she had continued lobbying Musk hard after he announced his plan for 69X Minutes.
“I sent him three screenshots of it via email to him saying, ‘I’m made for this’, and he still has not replied to that, but then this has all happened,” Molan said. But how, we wonder.
“He’s reposted some of my stuff, he clearly knows that I exist, and it’s incredible.”
Canberra could be beckoning for Molan. The daughter of the late Liberal senator Jim Molan told Smith she was weighing a future political career.
“I’ve said no for so many years now, but I think the older I get, the more it is attractive to me.”
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