A suburban mayor has been awarded $250,000 in damages after a court found a ratepayer defamed him on Facebook amid his fury over plans for a cafe at a dog beach.
City of Canning Mayor Patrick Hall sued one of the West Australian council's constituents, Richard Aldridge, over a series of social media posts and publications in 2021 and 2022.
The seven Facebook posts and statements, one of which was published by a local newspaper, suggested Mr Hall misused his mayoral office and acted unlawfully for his political advantage when he endorsed certain candidates for the council.
In handing down its judgement, the Supreme Court said Mr Aldridge's "dogged self-righteousness" blinded him to any objective perspective and he had demonstrated "reckless disregard" for facts due to his "ill-will and deep personal resentment of Mr Hall".
Mr Aldridge developed an "obsessive preoccupation" with Mr Hall arising from his "deep but disciplined fury", Justice Marcus Solomon wrote.
This was triggered by the council's plans for a coffee shop at a park next to a river and the impact Mr Aldridge perceived it would have on a dog beach.
"That fury spawned Mr Aldridge's zealous determination to attack Mr Hall at any opportunity," Justice Solomon said.
"Mr Aldridge's belief in the truth of his defamatory statements was the product of his contempt for Mr Hall."
The crux of Mr Aldridge's defence at trial was that his publications were honest opinions on matters of public interest that were mostly true.
During the proceedings, Mr Aldridge claimed Mr Hall's legal action against him was an abuse of process.
He said its real purpose was not to prosecute the defamation allegations against him but to intimidate and hinder his ability to exercise political freedom, which the court rejected.
Justice Solomon found Mr Aldridge was incapable of accepting alternative views about his publications and that his "self-righteous indignation" manifested itself in "a self-perception as the heroic victim in respect of complaints levelled against him".
