Kerry Stokes to pay costs of Ben Roberts-Smith’s defamation case

Seven West Media chairman's decision means network won’t have to hand over internal correspondence related to the case

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Seven West Media’s chairman, Kerry Stokes, has agreed to pay the costs of Ben Roberts-Smith’s failed defamation action, in a move that will prevent the network from having to hand over thousands of internal documents about the case.

The federal court heard on Monday that Stokes had agreed to pay the costs of the case. Justice Anthony Besanko ordered that Stokes’ private company Australian Capital Equity (ACE) pay them on an indemnity basis.