A Information Corp reporter failed to incorporate a Victorian Liberal MP’s assertion that allegations in regards to the social gathering’s deputy chief Sam Groth’s relationship together with his spouse had been “nothing greater than a political hit job” in a narrative, legal professionals for the couple say.
The Herald and Weekly Instances (HWT), reporter Stephen Drill and Herald Solar editor Sam Weir are being sued within the federal court docket by Brittany Groth – within the first take a look at of latest legal guidelines for severe invasions of privateness – and by Sam Groth, for defamation over a collection of articles revealed in July.
The articles allege the couple met at a tennis membership in suburban Melbourne and began a sexual relationship when Brittany was 16 or 17 and Sam was 23 or 24 and dealing as her coach, in keeping with court docket paperwork.
In its defence, filed within the federal court docket earlier this month, the Information Corp paper confirmed it might be utilizing the general public curiosity defence, arguing the allegations might have been “weaponised” by each Sam’s detractors throughout the Liberal social gathering and Labor forward of the 2026 state election.
The tabloid additionally argued its reporting was exempt from the brand new privateness legal guidelines, which permit for damages of as much as $478,000, because of the authorized protections for journalists.
However in a response filed on Wednesday, legal professionals for the Groths mentioned HWT revealed “at greatest, gossip, hearsay, and irrational conclusions based mostly on scant data” which no affordable particular person or journalist would classify as both information or public curiosity reporting.
They allege that on 30 June, a month earlier than publication of the primary report, Drill contacted the Liberal MP for Brighton, James Newbury, informing him he was engaged on a narrative “about Sam and Brittany having commenced their relationship illegally as a result of she was underage and he was her coach”.
Based on the Groths’ legal professionals, Newbury informed Drill he didn’t imagine the allegations had been true and would go on the document to say they had been “nothing greater than a political hit job from contained in the social gathering room that was not based mostly on truth however an untruthful smear”.
However Newbury’s assertion was not included within the article.
The Groths’ legal professionals mentioned Newbury is known as “Confidential Supply 6” in HWT’s defence, who informed Drill “that story just isn’t true”.
In its defence, HWT argued the dialog was additional proof senior Liberal members had been “already conscious of considerations having been raised concerning the circumstances through which Sam commenced a romantic relationship with Brittany”.
HWT claims within the defence that in late 2024 and mid-2025 there have been considerations throughout the social gathering about when the Groths’ relationship began, the “propriety of Sam having commenced that relationship, whether or not Sam might have dedicated a legal offence when he commenced the connection”.
They argue there have been fears “such issues is perhaps weaponised towards the Liberal social gathering by its political opponents, and whether or not in all of the circumstances Sam’s place as deputy chief of the Liberal social gathering represented a threat or legal responsibility to the prospects of electoral success”, the defence mentioned.
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It mentioned HWT first acquired data from a “a confidential supply who works in Victorian state politics” in late 2024 that there have been considerations Brittany might need been underage when the couple’s relationship started.
The defence additionally reveals Herald Solar deputy editor Chris Tinkler was concerned in researching the story, with paperwork saying that Tinkler obtained a Fb picture on 17 December from an unnamed supply displaying Sam and Brittany in Could 2012, attending a faculty formal as a pair. She was 18 on the time.
The defence additionally contains pictures of the couple’s journey to Bali for Brittany’s 18th birthday in April 2012 and former interviews with Tennis Channel in 2017 and in July 2024 with Herald Solar reporter Mitch Clarke, in each of which the Groths mentioned they met on the tennis membership.
Within the Herald Solar interview, Groth mentioned he added Brittany as a Fb good friend instantly after assembly her.
The defence mentioned Tinkler had additionally spoken to a Labor social gathering supply who mentioned that two of its MPs had been conscious that Brittany might need been underage when her romantic relationship with Sam started, and that in that supply’s view, “what he has executed is de facto not applicable”.
The case is scheduled to face its first case administration listening to within the federal court docket on 30 October.
