1 week ago
4
Good morning readers, and welcome to our live news blog for Wednesday, September 10.
Making headlines today, Ben Roberts-Smith’s chief financial backer, Seven West Media chairman Kerry Stokes, is facing a $13.5 million bill to cover legal costs incurred by The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald in defending the former soldier’s failed defamation case.
Ben Roberts-Smith (left) and Kerry Stokes.Credit: Michael Howard
In orders made by a Federal Court registrar on Tuesday, the court said the newspapers’ costs of the defamation trial payable by Roberts-Smith and Stokes’ private company, Australian Capital Equity, would be fixed at $13.3 million.
The West Australian billionaire and the former Special Air Service corporal, who is from Perth, are also on the hook for almost $225,000 in costs associated with the assessment process itself, bringing the total bill to $13.5 million.
Stokes bankrolled the defamation trial using private funds, including an estimated $15 million in costs for Roberts-Smith’s own legal team. He did not pay for the appeal.
Meanwhile, a highly trained Perth doctor is facing jail after pleading guilty to fraud for a second time while on a suspended prison sentence for similar offending.
And, in culinary news, former Wines of While sous chef Rory Glacken has taken over the position of head chef following the departure of his predecessor, Jack Short.
Stay with us as we bring you the news of the day, as it happens in WA.
