Joe Hockey says a political fundraising forum which asked members for $22,000 a year “to assist Joe Hockey” was “grossly misleading” because he had not accepted money from any organisation or individual.
The treasurer was giving evidence on day two of his defamation case against Fairfax Media for a series of articles about his relationship with the North Sydney Forum. He claims the article defamed him by implying he was corrupt.
The headline “Treasurer for sale” in the Sydney Morning Herald last year devastated him and his family.
“I am upset at the suggestion I and public policy could be bought,” he said. “The claims made against me from my perspective were defamatory.”
Under cross-examination by Fairfax’s barrister, Matt Collins, Hockey was asked why the North Sydney Forum membership forms referred to providing practical support to Hockey and used the words “business and community leaders supporting Joe Hockey MP”.
“They have not provided any resources to me,” Hockey said. “I have accepted no money, Dr Collins, at all, from any individual or any corporate.”
The court heard the $22,000 fee gave members and one guest access to 10 boardroom functions a year and events such as lunches, dinners, cocktail functions and breakfasts.
Hockey said he did not attend all the functions: “It would be about five to six a year which would represent about 1% of the functions I attend a year.”
The forum’s website carries photographs of Hockey and says: “On behalf of Joe Hockey I encourage you to join the North Sydney Forum and to offer your practical support to Joe Hockey.”
However, Hockey told the court the website was inaccurate and the money donated to the forum went to the wider Liberal party, not to him individually.
“My preferred words would be ‘business and community leaders engaging with Joe Hockey’. My understanding is they have not provided any resources to me,’’ he said.
“If I chased down everything that is inaccurate that is written about me … I would be spending a lot of time in court. I would rather it not be there.’’
The court heard that some companies who were members of the forum were not based in North Sydney, including Deutsche Bank and UBS.
Collins asked Hockey if the evidence he gave on Monday about the forum being established because there was no “effective” chamber of commerce in North Sydney was true given that some of the members were national and international lobby groups.
“That evidence was absolutely right,” Hockey said. “That was my view.
“The North Sydney Forum chooses who its members were and people choose to join. I had no control over who was joining or not joining.”
