War veteran and former Seven executive Ben Roberts-Smith will appeal his libel suit that concluded last month.
The Victoria Cross recipient is suing The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times over articles published in 2018. Last month, Judge Anthony Besanko dismissed the proceedings after finding, by civil standards, that there it was a substantial truth on allegations of four unlawful killings in Afghanistan and bullying.
ABC Reports Roberts-Smith’s legal team filed an appeal in federal court on Tuesday, after being given an extension of the normal time frame within which to initiate it.
The question of who will pay the huge legal bill for the lengthy case continues to play out in court.
Nine recently scored a minor victory as it pursues the cost order, with the judge allowing subpoenas of two law firms that had been contracted to observe Mr Roberts-Smith’s legal battle on behalf of the companies.
Roberts-Smith resigned as managing director, Seven Queensland in early June, one day after the court’s findings.
