should this be in BEST JOKES - from adelaide now

[mighty_tiger_79]

Jockey Club boss and MP's war of words over Cheltenham


comment: Submit comment GAVIN LOWER, COURT REPORTER
February 12, 2008 03:15pm

A WAR of words over Cheltenham racecourse has moved to the courts with SA Jockey Club boss Steven Ploubidis (pictured) suing former federal member for Port Adelaide Rod Sawford for defamation.

Mr Ploubidis claims Mr Sawford implied he was incompetent, duplicitous and deceitful during a radio interview on 5AA on October 19, 2006.

Mr Sawford denies the imputations were in the broadcast, but if found they were, then argues that they were true.

During the interview Mr Sawford said Mr Ploubidis had ``led horseracing into disaster in this state'' and ``doesn't care about horseracing''.

Mr Sawford later apologised on radio for his comments and accepted that he had ``erred'' in making the allegations against Mr Ploubidis.

In his defence filed with the District Court, Mr Sawford alleged Mr Ploubidis was incompetent for a number of reasons including he was considered ``unapproachable' by leading stakeholders in the SA thoroughbred horseracing industry.

Mr Sawford also alleged that in 2006 Mr Ploubidis gave back to the Irish Jockey Club a memento which the club had given to the SAJC the previous year as part of Irish Jumping Race Day.

Mr Sawford argued that if the alleged imputations of being duplicitous and deceitful were also found in the broadcast, then they were also true.

He is also defending the case on the grounds that his comments were opinions and part of political debate.

Mr Sawford is countersuing the SAJC for defamation for comments Mr Ploubidis made on radio in response to his own.

He alleges Mr Ploubidis implied that he ``was in the habit of engaging in gratuitious personal attacks upon persons whom he named who disagreed with his opinions'' and ill suited to be a politician.

The legal action comes in the wake of controversy over the SAJC's decision to sell parts of Cheltenham racecourse for housing.

Critics have argued the area should be used as open space, stormwater treatment, flood plains or water storage.

Mr Sawford has said the site's value as a water catchment far outweighed its value as a residential development.

The defamation case is due to go before the District Court for a status hearing next month.

[RustyCage]

Mr Sawford denies the imputations were in the broadcast, but if found they were, then argues that they were true.

Thats the funny part. Its like saying, "No i didn't mean it to sound like I was saying you are sh!t, but you are though"

[bayman]

you'd get a lot more sense out of tweedledee & tweedledum than with those two