A tearful Sophie Mirabella has taken to the witness box in court as she fights to repair the reputation she says was tarnished with allegations she “pushed” Cathy McGowan.
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The former Indi MP is suing the Benalla Ensign and editor Libby Price over an incorrect story published on April 20, 2016.
The trial which began in Wangaratta County Court on Thursday will focus on what occurred at a Benalla nursing home event when Ms McGowan asked to be in a photo with federal Aged Care Minister Ken Wyatt.
The Ensign article stated “Mrs Mirabella very publicly pushed Ms McGowan out of the way to obstruct the photo being taken”.
Barrister Georgina Schoff QC said this was “fake news”.
She told the court Mrs Mirabella did not want Mr Wyatt in a photograph with her political opponent in the lead up to the 2016 federal election because it would help her appear “Liberal-lite”.
According to the barrister, when Ms McGowan asked if Mrs Mirabella would mind the photo being taken, she argued the point verbally.
“Well since you have asked, I do mind because if you wanted to have promotional material with the Liberal minister, you should have run as a Liberal candidate,” Mrs Mirabella claims she said.
The Ensign’s claims were reported across Border and national media.
“Sophie read the article and was stunned. She felt sick to the stomach because she knew that this article would go viral on the internet,” Ms Schoff said.
“(Politicians) don’t come to blows, they don’t assault each other, they don’t push and shove, and we would be appalled if they did.”
The trial in front of a jury of five men and one woman is expected to run for five or six days and involve nine witnesses.
Mrs Mirabella could be seen shaking her head in court as allegations were made against her and wiped away tears before starting to give her evidence.
She told the court she had endured years of backlash when standing up as an advocate for causes she was passionate about.
“If you do stick your head up and you are a successful advocate on issues, people who don’t agree with you want to knock you down,” she said.
Ensign claims it was still correct
Lawyers for the Benalla Ensign claim the newspaper’s article is “substantially true” because even though Sophie Mirabella did not push Cathy McGowan, they say she did push another politician.
Barrister David Gilbertson told the jury in court on Thursday that Mrs Mirabella put her hands on the chest of Aged Care Minister Ken Wyatt at nursing home opening in Benalla.
He argued Mr Wyatt had agreed to be in a photograph with Ms McGowan.
“He will say (when giving evidence in court) when he said he would be in a photo, Mrs Mirabella stood in front of him, put her hands on his chest and said ‘don't’,” Mr Gilbertson said.
“Yes, the Benalla Ensign newspaper got it wrong when it said Mrs Mirabella pushed Ms McGowan out of the way … we say in that variation, it was true.”
The trial continues on Friday.
