A report at Buzzfeed Australia has revealed that Marijke Rancei paid $100,000 in an out of court settlement to end the defamation action against her.
Earlier this month political commentator Marijke Rancie publicly apologised for comments she made about an LGBTIQ+ youth worker, but more details of the case have been revealed, including the large payment.
Rancie, who posts online as Political Posting Mumma, was one of the faces of the Coalition for Marriage’s campaign against allowing marriage equality in Australia. Rancie is a vocal opponent of marriage equality and the Safe Schools anti-bullying program.
Back in 2017 Rancie was voicing her opposition to queer youth support agency Minus 18 and took exception to their then events producer Delsi Moleta, who is also known as Delsi Cat.
Rancie highlighted images from the employees personal Facebook page and focused on an image where Moleta was wearing a mesh top and her nipple was visible. The activist made a number of disparaging comments about Moleta in relation to the image.
Moleta sued Rancie for defamation. The pair reached an out-of-court settlement, which has resulted in Rancie issuing a public apology that will stay pinned to the top of her page for 60 days.
In the apology Rancie says she was sorry for the post and the comments it inspired.
“If my posts encouraged others to attack Ms Moleta, I regret this conduct and the damage caused,” Rancie wrote.
“I sincerely and unreservedly apologise to Ms Moleta for any hurt, embarrassment or damage which the posts and comments have caused to her and to her personal and professional reputations.”
To take on the high profile conservative commentator Moleta found support from lawyer, Christien Corns at K&L Gates, who acted for her on a no win, no fee basis. She also secured two pro bono barristers: Matt Collins QC — who is the president of the Victorian Bar Association and acted for Pitch Perfect star Rebel Wilson in her defamation case — and Natalie Hickey.
Rancie was represented by Western Australian firm Steenhof Brothers Barristers & Solicitors, who describe themselves as a law firm following a Christian ethos.
OUTinPerth contacted Marijke Rancie for comment.
