Jo Dyer (left) leaves the Federal Court last month.Credit:Louie Douvis
Jo Dyer,a producer and festival director,stopped high-profile silk Sue Chrysanthou,SC,from representing Mr Porter in his now-discontinued defamation case against the ABC,which he brought after a story was published detailing that an unnamed cabinet minister had been accused of rape. Mr Porter strenuously denied any wrongdoing.
A woman,known only as Kate,had told friends that Mr Porter raped her in the 1980s when they were both teenagers. She took her own life in June last year,before she had made a formal police statement.
Text messages have been released between ABC journalist Annabel Crabb and the friend of a woman who accused Christian Porter of rape.
In a statement in March,NSW Police said there is “insufficient admissible evidence to proceed” with an investigation in the matter.
Ms Dyer successfully argued Ms Chrysanthou was privy to confidential information about Kate and Mr Porter because the barrister gave her free legal advice in relation to an article inTheAustralianthat mentioned Ms Dyer.
On Wednesday,Justice Tom Thawley made orders in the case including requiring Mr Porter’s legal representatives to destroy any documents containing the confidential information. A series of text messages between Ms Dyer and Ms Crabb were attached to the court order.
Ms Dyer responded on Twitter,writing that the ABC’s defence to Mr Porter’s defunct defamation case is what should be released,“rather than a few texts between mates”.