Former NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro’s defamation battle is far from over even though he settled with Jordan Shanks, who publishes the YouTube channel Friendlyjordies, last week. Mr Barilaro also sued YouTube owner Google over the same alleged defamatory videos and the chances of Google settling with Barilaro would have to be near zero as it would set a precedent that could cost Google $billions as politicians worldwide would line up to sue Google.

But first let’s have a quick look at the settlement between Barilaro and Shanks as there is some confusion.

Friendlyjordies is paying $100,000 of Barilaro’s legal fees for the cost of two applications they made. The way his lawyers worded their media release was confusing. Where they say “We are properly paying the costs for the applications we made and lost on parliamentary privilege and a jury” they mean they are paying Barilaro’s legal costs for those applications which they agreed to cap at $100,000. The rest of Barilaro’s legal fees have to be paid by Barilaro and he is not getting damages.

Apart from paying the $100,000 there was a fairly weak apology for causing Mr Barilaro hurt and they will edit 2 videos but not take them down. There was no apology for accusing John Barilaro of being corrupt or perjuring himself etc.

As it stood both Friendlyjordies and Google were paying for separate legal teams to defend what is the same case, so it was a waste of money for both to defend it. Given that Friendlyjordies raised over $1 million the balance can now be spent defending Friendlyjordies producer Kristo Langker from the vexatious police charges and it can also go towards any legal proceedings that Kristo Langker might pursue against the police such as wrongful arrest etc.

I speak about the above issues and other issues in the below video which I published on Monday (8/11/21):

For Mr Barilaro to continue with his claim against Google, which is currently set for hearing in March 2022, he is running the gauntlet with landmines everywhere such as the alleged multiple affairs as I mentioned when he resigned in the below video. Because that is part of the case as Google blocked a video, after a complaint from Barilaro, of Jordan Shanks phoning Barilaro and asking him if he had ever had affairs and Barilaro hung up. It is a line of questioning that Google’s barrister will follow because Google blocked the video and if Barilaro has had affairs he will be in a lot of trouble with his defamation case.

The below video I published on the 4th of October titled “The real reasons NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro resigned: Fraud, theft and alleged affairs” which is relevant as a number of the issues raised in the video are likely to be raised during the defamation hearing next year between Barilaro and Google.

Interestingly in the above video John Barilaro says one of the key reasons he resigned from parliament was to fight the defamation case against Friendlyjordies then he settles the matter with a Claytons win. Will he now change his mind and continue in parliament?

For Google to settle, pay damages and make an apology means they will have every second politician around the globe making a claim and so I can’t see Google settling and they will fight the case to the very end. With Mr Barilaro having so many skeletons in the closet he can’t afford the risk of hopping in the witness stand let alone a long and drawn-out legal fight so the only real option for Mr Barilaro is to discontinue the claim and pay Google’s costs and the sooner he does that the cheaper it will be for him.

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