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ABC News
ABC News
National

Lawyer claims relationship with ex-MP Craig Laundy stymied her political career

Former federal MP Craig Laundy denies all wrongdoing.  (ABC News: Matt Roberts)

A lawyer suing ex-MP Craig Laundy claims her political career was stymied after she ended their relationship and told a court dismissing the case would send a "terrible message".

Natalie Baini alleges she was bypassed for a Liberal Party endorsement in a NSW seat, and is suing Mr Laundy, his wife and daughter in the NSW Supreme Court.

She said her career was damaged following the relationship, which occurred at a time she believed he was separated.

Barrister George Thomas, acting for the defendants, questioned Ms Baini about her allegations of trespass, injurious falsehood and assault, in court documents.

Ms Baini, who is representing herself at the preliminary hearing, referred to "disturbances" at her property and said police were reopening historical matters.

The injurious falsehood allegation arose from her being described by Mr Laundy as "a one-night stand that went for two years," she said. 

Ms Baini told the registrar those words were also uttered to the Liberal Party, the prime minister's office and the media, arguing it was sufficient to particularise her claim by identifying "categories" of people who heard it.

"That is sufficient for him to accept or deny."

Mr Thomas criticised the way her case was constructed, saying it lacked precision and failed to include essential elements of the torts alleged.

"My clients deny any wrongdoing," he said.

"They deny participating in the behaviours that my friend has spent well over half an hour asserting they have engaged in."

Ms Baini is also suing the Liberal Party's NSW division in a separate civil case.

She claims she was blocked from being preselected for the Sydney seat of Reid at the 2019 federal election after ending the relationship.

Ms Baini said she made many attempts to resolve the matter privately to avoid embarrassment but received no cooperation.

She alleged she received an "aggressive phone call" and was told she was being watched, but didn't know who was being sent to her property.

Ms Baini said the incidents ceased once police became involved and that the "circumstantial evidence" was worth consideration.

She told the court potential witnesses had well-founded concerns about coming forward at an early stage in the proceedings and she was reluctant to "expose them in any way" when they are not protected by giving evidence.

"It would be unfair to me, my family and my circumstances, but it would be sending a terrible message to the public if a matter like this was dismissed," she said.

"It needs to be heard."

Ms Baini said she agreed some of the matters were "scandalous", but insisted there were no allegations she wasn't prepared to repeat on oath.

Mr Thomas said much of the case was about "communication between people" and took issue with the "global response" to requests for particulars.

"What we have here is as generic a pleading ... as one could imagine," he said.

The barrister said more detail was needed to effectively "marry up" the pleadings so they can be properly answered.

The registrar reserved her decision.

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