Federal court proceedings initiated by the Zionist Federation of Australia (ZFA) against journalist Mary Kostakidis have been concluded by consent, with no orders regarding legal costs made against either party.
Kostakidis, a former newsreader for SBS, had faced allegations that her sharing of two posts on the social media platform X violated the Racial Discrimination Act (RDA). The dispute centered around content she reposted in January 2024, which related to a speech delivered by the late Hezbollah secretary general Hassan Nasrallah.
The discontinuance was finalized without any admission of liability from the journalist or findings on the merits of the racial discrimination claims.
Let’s hope this sets a precedent against frivolous litigation in media disputes.
I’m surprised this went to court at all. Seems like a strained use of the RDA.
Wait, no admission of liability? What does that actually mean in practice?
Finally, a win for free speech. No costs awarded is a relief.