Liberal Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has been accused of "trampling" on the reputation of Central Land Council CEO Lesley Turner "without caring at all whether what was said about him was true or false," the Federal Court has heard.

The high-profile defamation trial began in Darwin on Monday, with Mr Turner suing Senator Price over a July 2024 media release which incorrectly suggested he had lost the support of the majority of council members.

Senator Price, who arrived at court with her husband, musician Colin Lillie, issued the release late on a Sunday night to nearly 2000 journalists. While it did not name Mr Turner, it referred to an unsuccessful motion of no confidence moved against "the CEO of the Central Land Council".

In filed court documents, Mr Turner, represented by Sydney barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC, alleges the release conveyed false and defamatory claims, including that he "no longer had the support of the majority of Central Land Council members because of his unprofessional behaviour in that role".

The Senator has conceded this claim was conveyed in the media release, and she has dropped her truth defence. She is instead relying on a qualified privilege defence, arguing her comments were made in the public interest - as a Senator and Shadow Minister - and that she acted reasonably.

In her opening address, Ms Chrysanthou told the court that Senator Price relied on "contradictory and unclear information from only one source" when she authorised the release.

"She trampled on my client's reputation...without caring at all whether what was said about him was true or false," Ms Chrysanthou said, adding that any argument the statement wasn't about Mr Turner was disingenuous.

No motion of no confidence had been moved against Mr Turner, despite claims by then-CLC chair Matthew Palmer, who had issued his own statement the day before, suggesting Mr Turner had been dismissed. This came after 70 delegates voted to reprimand Mr Palmer during the July CLC meeting.

"To this day, Senator Price has never publicly admitted that what she said was wrong. She's never made any apology for it," Ms Chrysanthou told the court.

Mr Palmer's original statement, sent to just four journalists - three from News Corp and one from the Nine papers - was published by the NT News but quickly withdrawn after the CLC contacted them. Ms Chrysanthou said Senator Price's release that same evening gave "new life" to the story.

"It was to ensure that the story gained momentum," she said, arguing it "may otherwise have died had she not intervened at that time".

Ms Chrysanthou said there was "no explanation" for the urgency in issuing the late-night release, nor for why neither Senator Price nor her staff contacted any of the 70 CLC delegates present at the meeting.

She alleged the Senator did not attempt to verify the claims with either Mr Turner or the CLC.

"Despite being confused, despite having inconsistent information ... the Senator ploughed ahead and gave the thumbs up to her staff to publish the press release," Ms Chrysanthou said.

"The Senator wished to publish something consistent with her own personal agenda...without caring at all, whether what was said about him was true or false."

Earlier, Ms Chrysanthou said Mr Turner had written to Mr Palmer "raising concerns about his conduct in relation to the recognition of particular land rights".

Two days later, on June 7, the then-Yipirinya School principal Gavin Morris, described by Ms Chrysanthou as an "intermeddler," approached Senator Price about what he called Mr Palmer's "plan for a coup". The court heard some of Senator Price's staff believe Mr Morris helped write Mr Palmer's media release.

Senator Price's mother worked at the same school as Mr Morris, who was found guilty last week of physically assaulting four students during his time as principal.

Ms Chrysanthou said text messages would show Mr Morris - who was not a CLC delegate - had ambitions to replace Mr Turner as CEO.

"He [Mr Morris] openly told the Senator and her staff that he was after my client's job, and that he was desperate at that time to leave the school," she said.

"He is listed by the Senator as one of her trusted sources, leading up to the publication of the press release, which my client has sued on."

The trial continues.