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SKY News commentator launches Defamation against ABC

Chris Kenny has commenced defamation proceedings against the ABC, Andrew Hansen and production company Giant Dwarf.

2013-09-18_1359Lawyers for SKY News commentator Chris Kenny, have commenced defamation proceedings against the ABC, Chaser presenter Andrew Hansen and production company Giant Dwarf after referring to him as a “dog f***er” on The Hamster Decides.

Kenny, who also writes for The Australian, told the newspaper “The ABC has refused to apologise or make amends, leaving me with no option but to take this action.

“We all value robust debate, but disgusting, fabricated and offensive attacks aimed at silencing fair criticism are intolerable.

The statement of claim alleges the imputation the plaintiff’s “attacks on the ABC were so dishonorable . . . that he deserved to be compared to . . . a person who has sexual intercourse with a dog”.

ABC has previously said, “While strong in nature, the segment was consistent with the humour from the Chaser Team and in line with the target audience of The Hamster Decides. The graphic was clearly fake and absurd.”

But Kenny is claiming aggravated damages, a permanent restraint on any future publication of the same or similar material and interest, plus costs.

In an interview with ABC 774 last month, managing director Mark Scott said: “Personally I didn’t like it. I can understand Chris Kenny and his family being upset by it and I’m sorry about that.”

However Kenny’s son Liam wrote an online response , which said in part:

“Chris Kenny is my dad. On one of the Sky News political analysis programs he hosts, he has replied to the Chaser joke, lamenting that if his children were ever to Google his name in the future, this is the kind of filth we would stumble across.

“Heaven forbid.”