Nick Whitlam writes:

I have just seen your defamations list. It says that I sued and settled with 2GB and a former consultant. The implication is that I backed off.

In fact I sued both, separately, and won both actions, ie the 7A trials. As you would know, the next step is for the perpetrator (2GB and Robert Dempsey in these cases) to try to justify the defamation by means of a defence. 2GB settled with me before they put on any defence; the initiative was theirs. Dempsey settled with me, after he put on a “defence” but before it was heard; the settlement came from a compulsory mediation, ordered by the court, in which, inter alia, Dempsey said he would have to borrow money in order to provide me the (agreed) $100,000 in damages.

CRIKEY: Meanwhile, we’ve updated our defamation list after hearing The Age’s legendary police reporter John Silvester at the “New Media and The Law” conference in Melbourne on Friday. It seems that those who threaten or take legal action against Silvester get shot dead or deported:

Alphonse Gangitano v Silvester: Sly told 3AW that the infamous standover man had “the brains of a flea and the genitalia to match.” Alphonse sued but he was shot dead in his Templestowe home by his old mate Jason Moran before the matter could get to court.

Pasquale Barbaro v Silvester: not the Pasquale Barbaro involved in the baby Montana case last year, but a relative who sued Silvester out of Queensland. The defence would have been a mini Royal Commission into the family given their extensive criminal links and Pasquale was also on the nose for leaving his wife and moving in with a Thai dancer. Silvester told the conference he was “killed by the mafia” before the case could be heard.

Phillip Wilson: threatened to sue Silvester but was shot in the back on his way to seeing his chiropractor.

Black DUC: arrested on the way to see his lawyer about suing Silvester and deported straight back to Vietnam.

Andrew “Benji” Veniamin: Silvester said he was implicated in three underworld murders and Benji threatened to sue claiming this had endangered his life and was wrong. Silvester now claims it was four but Mick Gatto shot Benji dead at La Porcella before the writ could be issued.