Craig McLachlan Is Suing The ABC, Fairfax and Christie Whelan-Browne And It Is Going To Get Ugly - Noise11.com
Craig McLachlan in Rocky Horror Show; Photo Ros O'Gorman

Craig McLachlan as Frank N. Furter in Rocky Horror Show: Photo Ros O'Gorman

Craig McLachlan Is Suing The ABC, Fairfax and Christie Whelan-Browne And It Is Going To Get Ugly

by Paul Cashmere on February 2, 2018

in News,Noise Pro

Actor/singer Craig McLachlan is going after the ABC, Fairfax Media and fellow actor Christie Whelan-Browne for assassinating his career in what we be a very ugly legal battle.

Reckless reporting by the ABC and Fairfax used Whelan-Browne to sentence McLachlan to a guilty verdict in a “trail by media”. The program via the ABC’s 7.30 Report and co-created with journalists at Fairfax crucified McLachlan’s character accusing him of sexual assault. In Australia you are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The ABC and fairfax do not overrule the law.

It now no longer matters if McLachlan did it or didn’t do it. What matters now is that the ABC, Fairfax and Whelan-Browne took the law into their own hands and publicly destroyed a man’s 30-year career. That is all the court will look at in this case.

Craig McLachlan filed documents yesterday (1 February 2018) at the Supreme Court of New South Wales in Sydney suing for Defamation. He is listed as First Plaintiff. Christie Whelan Browne is named First Defendant and Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd and the ABC as named Second Defendant.

The alleged inicident happened when Whelan-Browne and McLachlan were starring in the Rocky Horror Show. As a direct result of the accusations, McLachlan has left the current production of the Rocky Horrow Show and his current TV series Dr Blake Mysteries has been put on hold. McLachlan was cleared of sexual harrassment accusations by the producers of Dr Blake Mysteries yesterday after a month long investigation. The investigation found that “the show’s workplace culture was “bawdy and crude” and may have offended some cast and crew members” but that it did not constitute a criminal action. Victoria Police are continuing their investigations into the Rocky Horror Show claims by Whelan-Browne.

If Christie Whelan-Browne was truthful in her accusations against McLachlan she will find it hard to legally prove given the publicity the ABC’s broadcast achieved. By accusing McLachlan of such a devious act in the court of public opinion, Whelan has made McLachlan the victim.

The ABC and Fairfax should have known their broadcast could negate any chance of a legal victory for Whelan-Browne and the two others who made statements about Craig but they went ahead with the program regardless. By doing so they have pretty much stuffed up Whelan-Browne’s chance of justice.

Now a man accused of being a sexual predator has become the victim and his accuser has become “the defendant”. That is how the legal system works folks. There are no shortcuts to justice, especially through the media. The ABC and Fairfax are not the judges and their studio is not a courtroom.

This is going to get ugly.

Noise11.com

Listen to the Noise11 Music News channel now at iHeartRadio

Related Posts

The Beatles Australasian Tour 1964
New Beatles Book Marks 60 Years Since The Australian Tour

A new book on The Beatles by Andy Neill and Greg Armstrong is focused on The Beatles one and only ever Australian tour from back in 1964.

8 hours ago
Hoodoo Gurus Stoneage Romeos 40th anniversary edition
Hoodoo Gurus ‘Stoneage Romeos’ Turns 40

Hoodoo Gurus debut album ‘Stoneage Romeos’ turned 40 this month. The album was released in Australia in March 1984 and in the USA in September 1984.

9 hours ago
Kylie Minogue photo by Ros O'Gorman
Kylie Minogue Heartbroken By Splendour In The Grass

Kylie Minogue has expressed sadness over an Australian music festival's cancellation.

21 hours ago
Kylie Minogue photo by Ros O'Gorman
Splendour In The Grass Release Official Statement About 2024 Cancellation

Following is the exact statement from Splendour In The Grass about the cancellation of the July festival today from CEOs Jessica Ducrou and Paul Piticco.

1 day ago
Tim and Neil Finn I See Red rehearsals in LA 2004
Split Enz Fans, Watch The Finn Brothers Rehearse ‘I See Red’

Split Enz/Crowded House archivist Peter Green has offered up another rare fine, Tim and Neil Finn rehearsing their Split Enz classic ‘I See Red’ in Los Angeles in 2004.

1 day ago
Kylie Minogue photo by Ros OGorman
Splendour In The Grass Cancelled for 2024

Splendour In The Grass 2024, set for 19, 20, 21 July, has been cancelled just two weeks after being announced.

1 day ago
Jason Singh
Jason Singh Wins Two Year Taxiride Trade Mark Battle Against Fellow Band Members

Taxiride co-founder Jason Singh has won a two-year legal battle against fellow bandmates Tim Watson and Tim Wild over the Taxiride Trade Mark.

2 days ago