Quick Read
- Former Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and his wife are defending a Federal Court defamation case.
- The Andrews claim the case, brought by road crash victim Ryan Meuleman, is politically motivated.
- The legal action stems from a 2013 collision involving the Andrews’ vehicle and a 2024 public statement they made.
- Andrews’ defence alleges Meuleman’s supporters have personal or political agendas.
- Police previously cleared the Andrews of wrongdoing in the original 2013 incident.
MELBOURNE (Azat TV) – Former Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has launched a robust defence in a Federal Court defamation case, asserting that the legal action brought by road crash victim Ryan Meuleman is politically motivated and designed to generate media attention. The strong stance, detailed in court documents released Friday, marks a significant public re-engagement for Andrews as he directly confronts allegations stemming from a 2013 incident, nearly a decade after he was a passenger in the vehicle involved.
Andrews and his wife, Catherine Andrews, are defending Federal Court action initiated by Ryan Meuleman, who was 15 years old when he was struck by the Andrews family’s 4WD vehicle during a trip to the beach in January 2013. Meuleman, often referred to as “bike boy,” is seeking damages from the couple, alleging that a public statement they made implied he lied about the circumstances of the collision and that he was using legal proceedings for financial gain.
Andrews Alleges Political Motivation in ‘Bike Boy’ Case
In their defence, released by the court on Friday, the Andrews couple argues that they have consistently sought to protect themselves from public attacks that portrayed them as liars and participants in a cover-up. Their lawyer, Leon Zwier, argues that Meuleman’s defamation proceedings were launched for “collateral” purposes, specifically to garner public and media attention and to “inflict reputational damage.” The defence papers further allege that the motivation for the case is “to advance the personal or political agendas” of Meuleman’s supporters, or to seek evidence against the couple for use in a private criminal prosecution.
The collision occurred in Blairgowrie more than a decade ago, with Catherine Andrews driving and Daniel Andrews, then the opposition leader, in the passenger seat. Following the incident, police cleared the pair of any wrongdoing. However, it was noted that the two police officers who attended the scene did not breathalyse anyone, in breach of standard operating procedures, and were counselled as a result.
Background of the Defamation Claim
The current legal dispute intensified after the Herald Sun published details in September 2024 of a report by Dr. Raymond Shuey, a former police officer acting as an expert witness. Dr. Shuey, who died before his report was publicly released, alleged that authorities engaged in an “overt cover-up to avoid implicating a political figure in a life-threatening crash.”
In response to this reporting, Daniel and Catherine Andrews issued a joint media statement, unequivocally declaring their innocence. “We completely reject conspiracy theories dressed up as journalism,” their 2024 statement read. It further clarified, “This so-called report was commissioned by lawyers on behalf of their clients who are seeking money through the courts by suing their former lawyers. We are not a party to this legal action. This matter has already been comprehensively and independently investigated and closed by Victoria Police and integrity agencies. We will not dignify these appalling conspiracy theories by commenting further at this time.”
Meuleman subsequently alleged that this statement was defamatory, a claim the former premier and his wife vehemently reject. They contend that their statement did not harm Meuleman’s reputation, as it has long been understood that there is an “intractable” factual dispute between the parties regarding fault for the collision. They assert that their statement was a proportionate response to the attacks leveled against them.
The ‘Cohort’ and Alleged Agendas
Court documents indicate that Meuleman initially sought $550,000 in damages, which was later revised to $50,000 plus $7,000 in costs. The defence papers argue that the Andrews couple has endured a continuous campaign from Meuleman or his supporters since at least 2022. These supporters, the defence alleges, “have no personal interest in the proceedings and whom, it may therefore be inferred, have personal or political agendas or motives for involving themselves in Mr Meuleman’s affairs.”
The court documents name this “cohort” as including, “from time to time,” Meuleman’s father Peter, PR veteran Rohan Wenn, design engineer-turned-amateur-detective Colin Robertson, and retired members of Victoria Police Kel Glare and Dr. Shuey.
The case is scheduled to return to court next month, where further arguments are expected to be heard in this protracted legal battle.
The forceful and detailed defence presented by Daniel Andrews underscores his determination to clear his name in a long-standing and publicly scrutinized matter, marking a significant and active engagement in the public sphere following his departure from the premiership.