The identity of the underworld Mick Gatto has added former Attorney General Christian Porter to his legal team as he seeks to take his defamation case against the ABC to the High Court.
Gatto lost his defamation case against the ABC in February 2021 after a Supreme Court judge dismissed the proceedings, favoring the national broadcaster.
At the time, Gatto said he believed the ABC had “crossed a line” when he published an article containing suggestions that he was a “murderer, assassin and one of Australia’s most violent men”.
Mick Gatto in June 2022. Credit: Quinn Rooney
He alleged that the ABC article also falsely accused him of threatening to kill Nicola Gobbo, a gang lawyer turned informant, after learning that he was providing information to the police.
But Supreme Court Judge Andrew Keogh dismissed Gatto’s case, finding that the CBA’s report was fairly and accurately based on court proceedings.
Christian Porter will represent Mick Gatto in his candidacy for an appeal to the High Court. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
Gatto has requested a special leave to appeal the decision to the High Court and will be represented by Porter along with attorneys Guy Reynolds and Daniel Ward.
Porter himself had previously tried to sue the ABC for defamation following an article they published. The case was later resolved in May 2021.
Months later he announced he would leave politics in the next election.
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