Nine Entertainment chairman Peter Costello has denied assaulting a journalist from The Australian at Canberra Airport this afternoon.
Footage posted on The Australian’s website seems to point out reporter Liam Mendes approaching Mr Costello earlier than asking him questions on a harassment scandal at Nine.
The footage seems to point out Mr Costello strolling in direction of Mr Mendes, earlier than Mr Mendes falls backwards.
“You have just assaulted me,” Mr Mendes stated instantly after hitting the bottom.
“You have just pushed me, it is all on camera.”
The footage exhibits Mr Mendes proceed to comply with Mr Costello out of the airport and proceed to ask questions.
‘I didn’t strike him’: Costello
Answering reporter questions at Parliament House on Thursday night, Mr Costello denied assaulting Mr Mendes.
“There is no assault,” Mr Costello stated.
“I did not lay a finger or a fist or anything else on him.”
Mr Costello stated Mr Mendes was strolling backwards whereas filming and tripped over an promoting placard.
“I have seen it happen a million times … reporters back into the bollards and fall over,” he stated.
“I did not strike him.”
Mr Costello additionally denied individuals who see the footage would describe him as being aggressive.
“I think they would think, if they watch the whole of it and remember it is an edited transcript, it was a pretty aggressive journalist”.
Mr Costello stated he was “sorry” that Mr Mendes hit the promoting bollard, that he wished that didn’t occur, and that he was not indignant through the altercation.
He then labelled any claims that the incident put his chairmanship at danger as “rubbish”.
Canberra Airport has informed the ABC it was unaware of the incident and didn’t have any remark.
ACT Policing has informed the ABC it has not acquired any complaints concerning the incident.
The ABC has contacted Liam Mendes for remark.
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