South Australia’s Deputy Premier, Vickie Chapman, is taking legal action against Labor frontbencher, Tom Koutsantonis, in a bid to halt a parliamentary investigation into whether she has a conflict of interest, The Advertiser reports.
The manoeuvre is Ms Chapman’s latest bid to scuttle a select committee into her scrapping of plans to build a deepwater port on Kangaroo Island.
Ms Chapman claims Mr Koutsantonis repeatedly accused her on Twitter of lying to parliament in what she has labelled as ‘disgraceful behaviour.’
Ms Chapman issued a lawyer’s letter to Mr Koutsantonis on Friday, demanding a public apology and retraction of any suggestion that she lied to parliament, along with the $100,000 payment within 14 days – or she will commence defamation action.
In a defiant statement to The Advertiser, Ms Chapman declared: “Bring it on. It is well past time for the matter to be removed from this kangaroo court to a competent court.”
Mr Koutsantonis indicated he would seek to defend his statements.
“This appears to be a last-ditch, desperate attempt by Vickie Chapman to distract from the inquiry and save what’s left of her political career,” an Opposition spokesman said.
Mr Koutsantonis added: “I’m happy to defend myself and I look forward to the outcome of the select committee’s final report.”
Source: The Advertiser.
