Peter Costello has resigned as chairman of the Nine Entertainment media company, days after the highly-publicised incident in which a journalist who was trying to ask him questions landed on the ground at Canberra airport.
The reporter from The Australian, Liam Mendes, immediately said Costello had “assaulted” him. Costello, who was in Canberra to open Nine’s revamped Parliament House accommodation, said he had not touched Mendes, claiming he had fallen over while walking backwards.
“As I walked past him, he walked back into an advertising placard and he fell over. I did not strike him. If he’s upset about that, I’m sorry,” Costello said. Costello made no effort to help Mendes up, or ask if he was all right.
