From Townsville Bureau
I was really hoping it would not come to this, but now I’m being sued for defamation in the Federal Court.
After my email in July, so many of you wrote asking how you could help.
The truth is, I can’t face this fight alone – I do need you with me.
Will you stand with me by making a contribution to my legal defence fund today?
This case stems from a media release I issued about the Central Land Council – a release I published in good faith, because I was elected to raise the issues that matter to you and to speak for those who have no voice.
I did my duty as your Senator.
But this case isn’t just about me.
It’s about you – and whether I can continue to be your voice.
If they win, they could bankrupt me.
And that means I would lose my seat in the Senate – and your voice in Parliament would fall silent.
I cannot let that happen. But I can’t fight this alone.
The legal fees for a Federal Court case are enormous.
To have any chance of standing up, I must raise as much as possible by the end of August to fund my legal defence.
That’s why I need you now.
Every contribution will go exclusively to fund my legal defence.
The trial begins in October, and I will walk into that courtroom with my head held high – because I’ll know you are standing with me.
And here’s something I want you to know:
- Donations of $300 and above are formally and publicly recorded in the Senate as a gift to me – a permanent mark in history that you were one of the Australians who stood by me.
- Your gift will be exclusively used for my legal defence.
This fight is real.
It’s urgent.
And I need you by my side for this battle.
Financial audit coming
Cairns News contacted a source in Canberra asking why the Central Land Council has not been financially audited. The source said a governance audit was conducted in 2023 and the CLC agreed to:
- conduct fraud risk assessments regularly, in accordance with its Fraud Policy; and
- implement a fraud control plan to manage fraud risks identified during the assessments.
The source said a financial audit had not been conducted by the National Audit Office in 2023 but it was expected the CLC would undergo a forensic, financial audit before the end of this year.
We asked who would be conducting the audit but the source said it was yet to be determined.
Once the defamation legal process begins Jacinta is entitled to complete discovery which undoubtedly would find many irregularities within the CLC.
Northern Territory readers are encouraged to contact Cairns News with any information the CLC would not like released.
Cairns News cairnsnews@protonmail.com
