Overview
- Turner’s counsel argued in closing that the Central Land Council promptly told Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price her media release was wrong and that she persisted regardless.
- Price’s July 21, 2024 release asserted a no‑confidence motion and majority backing against the CLC chief and was sent to nearly 2,000 media contacts, but she has since conceded there was no vote.
- Price has abandoned truth and honest opinion defences and is relying on qualified privilege, making the reasonableness of her verification steps the key issue for the judge.
- Evidence showed her senior adviser helped review a draft media statement for then CLC chair Matt Palmer, with former school principal Gavin Morris acting as an intermediary.
- Texts tendered to the court show Morris flagged a planned “coup” and Price replied “That’s fantastic,” though she denies involvement and says she advised him not to seek the job; Morris was later convicted of assaulting students.