Former Liberal Democrat senator David Leyonhjelm has been accused of lying in the Federal Court by claiming a political opponent said all men are rapists.
Mr Leyonhjelm is being sued for defamation by Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young, who has accused him of falsely stating she said all men are rapists during a heated debate in the Senate chamber last year.
Senator Hanson-Young also alleges she was portrayed as a misandrist and a hypocrite.
Mr Leyonhjelm says Senator Hanson-Young interjected during the debate and used words to the effect of "all men are rapists", which prompted him to fire back and make the allegedly defamatory comments.
Mr Leyonhjelm then issued media releases and conducted interviews furthering his comments.
Senator Hanson-Young's barrister Sue Chrysanthou on Thursday put it to Mr Leyonhjelm that he concocted the Greens senator's statement.
Mr Leyonhjelm denied that, but also admitted he could not remember the exact words she used and he left it out of his affidavit because he could not be "categorical in his certainty".
"She did not say anything that was tantamount to all men are rapists," Ms Chrysanthou said.
"I believe she did," Mr Leyonhjelm replied.
The former senator conceded his discussions with colleagues following the Senate interaction may have influenced his memory of the words used.
"The meaning was clear," he said.
"The only thing I can put my hand on my heart and say I heard was 'if men didn't rape them'."
Ms Hanson-Young this week gave evidence, saying she felt there was an "onslaught" of attacks from Mr Leyonhjelm following the debate, including media releases and interviews.
In a Sky News interview, he made reference to rumours about Ms Hanson-Young "liking" men.
"Do you think it was acceptable, according to the ordinary standards of human decency, to report on Sky News rumours that you had heard about another senator's sex life?" Ms Chrysanthou said.
"The only thing I said about her sex life was that she's known for liking men," Mr Leyonhjelm replied.
"I didn't say how many men. It was in the context of my view that she had said all men are collectively responsible for rape."
