A former NSW councillor has accused the ABC of defamation claiming two Four Corners reports about allegedly secret property developments by the Obeids implied he was corrupt and took bribes.
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In the Federal Court lawsuit filed last month, Len Roberts says he was defamed through a November 2021 TV broadcast and online article about "secret deals" made to net the Obeid family millions.
Former Labor minister Eddie Obeid was jailed in October 2021 for conspiring over a mining tender which brought in a $30 million windfall for his family.
Despite this conviction, the Obeids still secretly backed a string of property developments along the Australian East Coast, including a $100 million apartment complex in the coastal town of Hawks Nest, the ABC reported.
In its broadcast, journalist Angus Grigg interviewed Mr Roberts about his role in facilitating the Hawks Nest development. The reporter has also been sued in the defamation case.
The Tea Gardens Baptist Church pastor says he was defamed by the broadcasts which implied he acted corruptly in assisting with the deal.
This alleged corruption included selling the land for $1.5 million, a fraction of its true value, as CEO of the Karuah Local Aboriginal Land Council, writing a report as consulting archaeologist saying the land had no cultural value to Indigenous Australians, and then voting twice to approve the development as councillor of MidCoast Council.
Further allegedly defamatory imputations include that Mr Roberts took a bribe from the Obeids, that he misused his position and breached his duties, and that he falsely claimed there was no opposition to the sale of the land.
"By reason of the publication of the matters complained of, (Mr Roberts) has been greatly injured in his personal, business, pastoral and professional reputation and has been and will be brought into public disrepute, odium, ridicule and contempt," Mr Roberts writes in documents filed with the court.
He claims serious harm has been done by the broadcasts including via negative phone calls to the Tea Gardens Baptist Church, word-of-mouth communication in small communities such as Hawks Nest, and the "speed with which rumour, gossip and scandalous material spreads through such regional communities".
Because of the articles, he says he has already been shunned by local community members.
Facing a claim for damages and aggravated damages, the national broadcaster has also been accused of lying to get Mr Roberts to participate in the interview by claiming the reports would be about "COVID escapees" moving from Sydney to escape the virus.
Mr Roberts claims he was blindsided by the actual questions asked in the interview, and says the ABC selectively edited the final piece, omitting clear denials he had made.
The news broadcaster had failed to remove the articles or apologise for the allegedly defamatory content, Mr Roberts said.
The ABC declined to comment.
Australian Associated Press
