City councillor to sue two others for defamation

Adelaide City councillor Henry Davis says he will begin defamation action against two fellow members after they failed to apologise for comments made at a July meeting.

Sep 11, 2024, updated Oct 28, 2024
Councillor Henry Davis (left) says he will sue councillor Phillip Martin (right) and councillor Janet Giles for defamation over comments made at a July meeting. Photo: Tony Lewis/InDaily
Councillor Henry Davis (left) says he will sue councillor Phillip Martin (right) and councillor Janet Giles for defamation over comments made at a July meeting. Photo: Tony Lewis/InDaily

Davis, a lawyer, said he would launch defamation proceedings against councillors Janet Giles and Phillip Martin today after not receiving an apology for statements that he said “constitute an allegation of misogyny”.

Giles’ statement in the July meeting concerned an Instagram video that Davis published, criticising the council’s committee structure and payments to committee chairs. As a committee chair, Giles rebutted Davis’ claims about remuneration and went on to say that in her opinion Davis had shown a “pattern of behaviour”.

Giles said she believed behaviour that “seems to be disruptive, disrespectful…” could discourage other women from running for office.

The concerns notice Davis issued in July, seen by InDaily, requested that Giles and Martin apologise and retract their comments at the council meeting on July 23.

No such apology has been issued at any council meeting since July.

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