Helen Szuty

Helen Margaret Szuty (born 3 September 1957) is an Australian politician and was a member of the multi-member single constituency second Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly. Szuty sought election on a party ticket with Michael Moore, called the 'Moore Independents Group', at the 1992 general election. However, on assuming her seat in the Assembly, Szuty sat as an independent.^[1] Szuty sought election to the multi-member electorate of Ginninderra at both the 1995 ACT general election,^[2] again on the Moore Independents Group, and in 1998^[2] as an independent candidate. However, she was unsuccessful on both occasions in being re-elected to the Assembly.

In 1998, ACT Minister for Urban Services, Brendan Smyth claimed that Szuty made inappropriate representations to him on behalf of a client of the real estate agency where Szuty had recently been employed. Szuty made representations that her client was facing severe hardship. As a result of Smyth's complaint, made in confidence, to the Real Estate Institute of the ACT, Szuty was dismissed by her employer. Szuty asked Smyth to withdraw his compliant; which he ignored.^[3] On the basis of the complaint, Szuty claimed that she had been allegedly defamed, and Smyth's actions adversely affected her employment and had ultimately forced her to leave the ACT. Szuty commenced defamation proceeding in the ACT Supreme Court. In a finding that was handed down in 2004, Chief Justice Higgins was scathing in his criticism of Smyth, but ruled that the defamatory remarks he had made about Szuty were protected by qualified privilege.^[4]

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