Overview
- Lesley Turner testified that Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price repeated then-chair Matthew Palmer’s claims without checking their accuracy and made no contact with him or his office before publication.
- Turner said a proposal for his instant dismissal was floated at the 2024 men-only meeting but no formal motion occurred, consistent with chair Warren Williams’s evidence that there was no vote.
- The court heard the CLC sought a retraction from the senator’s office, which declined without further evidence; Turner conceded Price did not ignore his legal concerns notice but replied outside the requested timeframe.
- Price has abandoned truth and honest opinion defences and is relying on qualified privilege, with her legal team highlighting ANAO findings on CLC fraud risk controls during cross-examination.
- Justice Michael Wheelahan excluded attendee Keith Gregory from the courtroom at Price’s request and rejected a bid to suppress related material, as NT News’s earlier article was withdrawn with an apology and $5,500 paid to Turner.