Adani apologises to activist for public defamation

February 4, 2021
Issue 
Scott Daines. Photo: Frontline Action on Coal

Scott Daines, an anti-coal activist from Frontline Action on Coal (FLAC), announced on February 3 that he won a defamation dispute with Adani.

Daines was awarded $2000 in damages and Adani has publicly apologised for making false claims about him on the corporation鈥檚 Facebook page.

Adani falsely alleged that Daines and other peaceful activists from FLAC threw rocks at Adani workers鈥 cars and kicked car doors during a protest in October.

Adani released the defamatory statement and false accusations shortly after FLAC activists captured footage of an Adani security guard charging at, and assaulting, a camera operator at the protest.聽

Daines issued Adani a concerns notice under Queensland鈥檚 Defamation Act, and sought a retraction of Adani鈥檚 defamatory social media post and a public apology.

Adani鈥檚 lawyers, from the firm Ashurst, wrote back to Daines agreeing to his demands and to pay damages.聽

However, Adani misled its lawyers 鈥 instead of posting the apology on the Facebook page where its original post first appeared and which has 37,000 followers, , which had just 50 followers.

Adani tried to claim it had fulfilled its duty. It recently changed its name to Bravus Resources, which is where its followers reside.

Daines pursued Adani for further costs and for the corporation to post an apology on the page where the .

He wrote to Adani鈥檚 lawyers claiming Adani had 鈥渄uped the firm鈥 by providing it with false information about the history and status of its social media accounts in an attempt to hide the apology from the public.

Daines is continuing to pursue Adani for further damages for the delay in publishing the apology.

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