Federal Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price is seeking public donations to help fund her legal defence in a defamation case brought against her by Central Land Council (CLC) chief executive Lesley Turner.
The Warlpiri/Celtic senator is being sued over a media release she issued in July last year, in which she claimed a vote of no confidence had been moved against Mr Turner.
In an email to supporters on Wednesday morning, headlined "The fight of my life," Senator Price appealed for donations, saying she "can't face this fight alone".
"I do need you with me," the email reads. "Will you stand with me by making a contribution to my legal defence fund today?"
The disputed media release quoted then-CLC chair Matthew Palmer, who said a "majority of Central Land Council members showed their support for the dismissal of the CEO due to unprofessional conduct".
However, the CLC denied that such a motion took place, stating the Tennant Creek meeting instead resulted in Mr Palmer being replaced as chair by Warren Williams after he "lost the confidence of the council".
In the release, Senator Price again quoted Mr Palmer, saying there was "majority support for change of direction and leadership" at the CLC.
The statement was published in the NT News, which later removed two articles and issued an apology to Mr Turner.
In his claim, Mr Turner argues Senator Price "seriously injured [his] character and personal and professional reputation" and acted "improperly, unjustifiably or lacking in bona fides". He further alleges she failed to verify the allegations before publication.
Senator Price has abandoned her defences of truth and honest opinion, instead relying solely on the defence of qualified privilege in the trial scheduled for October.
In her email on Wednesday, she defended her actions, saying she made the comments "in good faith, because I was elected to raise the issues that matter to you and to speak for those who have no voice".
"I did my duty as your Senator."
Court filings, reported by The Sydney Morning Herald last month, show Senator Price argues she was acting on information from the land council's then-chair and raising "issues of significant and immediate public interest" in her role as shadow minister for Indigenous Australians and NT Senator. Her defence also raises alleged shortcomings in the CLC's fraud risk management.
Last year, National Indigenous Times reported Senator Price attempted to gain parliamentary access to confidential CLC meeting minutes — an act a Labor senator described as "completely inappropriate" and a "concerning use of Senate procedure".
Senator Price has also framed the case as bigger than herself.
"It's about you – and whether I can continue to be your voice. If they win, they could bankrupt me," she said.
Bankruptcy would see her disqualified from sitting in Parliament under section 44 of the Constitution. Earlier this year, former Victorian Liberal leader John Pesutto narrowly avoided disqualification after losing a defamation case against Liberal MP Moira Deeming.
Senator Price has acknowledged the risk, warning: "Your voice in Parliament would fall silent."
"I cannot let that happen. But I can't fight this alone," she said.
The Northern Territory Senator pledged all donations would go "exclusively to fund my legal defence," telling supporters: "To have any chance of standing up, I must raise as much as possible by the end of August to fund my legal defence."
"On my own, it feels impossible. But with you standing with me, every gift—big or small—turns a huge challenge into something we can overcome together."
