Here is a concise definition of the State (and government) I just found on the web for Aidan and those of his ilk who do not have a knowledge of such things:

"The state is the organization while the government is the particular group of people, the administrative bureaucracy that controls the state apparatus at a given time. That is, governments are the means through which state power is employed."

Time for your afternoon nap Aidan.

Mr O,

Should we be concerned about this Liberal looser? Regardless of the court outcome the cry baby is toast, career wise. Millions dying from Covid-19 with scaremongers peddling false rumours about vaccines, putting lives at risk, and there's no concerns for them and the lies peddled by the ultra right, but lets all be touchy feely about this hack and his civil liberties. I don't care.

Paul1405,

Do you think it might be a case of him winning the battle but losing the war?

I don't think he can lose the defamation case against the ABC given his political relationship to the apparatus of State that will be determining the outcome.

I might write a book: Bob & Carol & Ted & the LNP office desk.

I reckon it will be a best seller. "Is that a desk polisher you've got in your hand or are you just happy to see me?"

SR, et Al

Porter was awarded the injunction against making the part of the ABC's documents available to the media precisely that the documents are defamatory in nature.

I would guess that the ABC's purpose is to make the court case as damaging to Porter as possible. This is a common tactic, Porter's action is a common response that is almost always successful. If Porter loses the case the ABC and others will be free to publish the information.

As pointed out previously, to win the case ABC has two options:
1 - The truth defence, ie the ABC needs to show proof that Porter raped this girl. As there is no admissible evidence this will fail.
2 - To show that the ABC made every effort to keep the accusation anonymous. That many people quickly worked out who was accused this will be extremely difficult.

As far as damages are concerned, the more the damage to Porter the more the ABC will have to cough up. For example, a slight against his reputation would be limited to $400 000 plus costs, whereas if his career is ruined as some dimwits suggest, the damages will likely reach several $m with costs > $10m. The ABC will need to make a grovelling apology and fire another 100 employees to pay for it.

At what point did everyone know the identity of the accused? Not until Porter outed himself. Before all that self flagellation there was only suspicion. Considering the Morrison Cabinet is man heavy, there were many possible suspects. Granted, reading the form of the runners, any bookie worth his salt would have Porter the top weight, an odds-on favourite and the punters number one choice. The Cry Baby's public airing seemed more like a tearful wake, with all that sobbing and gnashing of teeth, pure theatrics on Porters part. I actually expected to see a throng of wailing old women seated to one side. I suppose it was in one way a funeral, the deceased being Porters career, which he threw on the funeral pyre himself.

As for compensation, for now someone should buy the man a root beer. Let the court decide!

shadowminister,

Well no the ABC just has to show what they reported was accurate. They never directly accused Porter of rape. They just said someone had come forward with that assertion against a senior government figure which they demonstrably did.

If I were to guess the outcome will likely be Porter will do a deal which will entice the ABC to consider it cheaper to settle than to bash it out in court, no matter the strength of their case.