Ex-Green Candidate & Gay Activist to sue Coalition for Marriage for defamation

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A Facebook image of Jill Moran, which she alleges was used by the Coalition for Marriage in a defamatory manner. Picture: Facebook

A Canberra public servant and “yes” advocate is launching a defamation lawsuit against the Coalition for Marriage, after the “no” campaign group depicted her as an “extremist” on its website.

Jill Moran 26, claims the use of her photograph marching at a “Yes” rally on its website coupled with the description “the extremists of the ‘yes’ campaign”, falsely portrays her as a bully, a violent protester and a political extremist.

Ms Moran, 26, said she felt “sick to her stomach” when a friend bought the image to her attention.
Jill Moran is suing the Coalition for Marriage for defamation for using her image in the media release.
Jill Moran is suing the Coalition for Marriage for defamation for using her image in the media release.
“I am a passionate supporter of marriage equality and I am proud to campaign publicly, but it is completely untrue and hurtful to paint me as violent or a political extremist. I am embarrassed and angry to be associated with anything other than peaceful campaigning.” 
However, the Coalition for Marriage denies it defamed the 26-year-old and says it was fighting for freedom of speech and freedom of political communication,” a spokeswoman said.
The image showed Yes campaigners “brazenly disrupting a peaceful anti-Safe Schools event in Canberra,” the Coalition for Marriage spokeswoman said.
The media release quoted the Coalition for Marriage’s Sophie York, who referred to the “bullying and intimidation tactics” at the base of the Yes campaign, along with its “loud, violent protests”.
Slater and Gordon defamation lawyer Phil Johnston said the photograph remained online despite requests for it to be taken down and an apology issued. Mr Johnston warned other people depicted in material issued by the group could also have been defamed.
The Coalition for Marriage said it had not referred to anyone by name, however defamation legislation also includes “indirect identification”.
The group alleged Ms Moran was a “seasoned political activist” and former Greens candidate who used the image as her Facebook profile picture. It also claimed she had tweeted the image with a statement that she was “smashing the heteropatriarchy”.
Under defamation law, the Coalition for Marriage has 28 days to adhere to Slater and Gordon’s requests, which were issued on September 25.

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