April 22, 2026 — 7:57pm
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The gripping court appearance of Offspring star Alicia Gardiner over allegations that she twisted the nipple of a tour guide during a protest at Victoria’s Parliament House delivered a twist of another kind on Wednesday.
The actor, 50, was charged with assaulting the worker when she joined about a dozen pro-Palestine protesters in disrupting parliament – and then-treasurer Tim Pallas’ carefully rehearsed budget speech – on May 7, 2024. The group had chanted and held up signs from the public gallery, calling for action to help Palestinians dying under Israel’s bombardment of Gaza.
As they were escorted out by security, it’s alleged Gardiner tried to enter the legislative chamber below. She was blocked by two of the building’s staffers.
One worker accused Gardiner of then “breaking the girl code” by latching onto her breast and twisting her nipple, leaving bruises.
“I felt a really sharp stabbing pain. I thought it was a knife,” the woman told a contested hearing this week in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court.
She said she believed Gardiner had come at her with “a bit of vengeance” because she had stopped her from entering the parliamentary chamber.
Alicia Gardiner outside the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday. AAPIMAGE
But Gardiner’s lawyer argued that the actor had been knocked into the staffer during the scuffle with security and had only reached out to brace herself.
After two excruciating days of lawyers and witnesses going back and forth over the finer points of this alleged “twist”, Gardiner was set to take the witness stand when the prosecution suddenly dropped the assault charge.
Gardiner was instead ordered to pay a fine of $500, with no conviction recorded, after admitting she had failed to immediately comply with police directions to leave parliament.
Her lawyer Angeline Centrone fought, without success, the public release of bodycam footage from the protest, despairing at the “nipple cripple” headlines that appeared in the Herald Sun that morning.
Alicia Gardiner as Cath York in the crime comedy series Deadloch.
Gardiner, who most recently appeared in the crime comedy Deadloch, was flanked in court by a small group of supporters, including actor Louisa Mignone.
Late on Wednesday night, the court released police bodycam footage of the chaotic scenes as officers removed the protesters from parliament.
Mystery new gig for top lawyer
Josh Bornstein, the high-profile workplace lawyer known for his wins against Qantas on behalf of workers and the ABC on behalf of Antoinette Lattouf, will start a mystery new gig after stepping down as principal lawyer at Maurice Blackburn on July 1.
An author, media opinionist, and briefly a political aspirant, the labour – or should that be Labor – lawyer will take on the role of consulting principal at the firm as part of his shift in direction.
Josh Bornstein is stepping down as principal lawyer at Maurice Blackburn. Oscar Colman
His colleagues were informed on Tuesday of Bornstein’s decision to call time with the heavy hitting firm after nearly 29 years.
“Josh is a legend of this firm and a giant of labour law in this country,” Maurice Blackburn chief executive Jacob Varghese said in a message to staff seen by CBD. “His contribution to extending access to justice for Australian workers has, in several cases, been historic. He really has helped make the firm the national institution it is today.”
Well known in Melbourne’s business, political, legal and union circles, Bornstein’s next move remains unclear at this stage – but CBD imagines we won’t need to wait too long to find out.
He joined the Labor and union-linked Maurice Blackburn in 1997 from Slater & Gordon and has gone on to successfully helm high-profile workplace disputes including the Transport Workers’ Union win over Qantas in which the airline was found to have illegally sacked 1700 ground staff during the COVID pandemic, and the Beaconsfield mine disaster where he represented the Australian Workers’ Union and the family of Larry Knight, the miner who died in the mine collapse.
He also represented journalist Lattouf in her successful unfair dismissal action against the ABC in 2025 after the national broadcaster axed her for reposting a Human Rights Watch report on her Instagram, while employed on a five-day casual contract.
A man of many interests, Bornstein published a book, Working for the Brand, in 2024. He has also harboured political ambition, although a potential Senate run for Labor in 2021 was scuttled after media scrutiny of his prolific use of Twitter, now known as X, uncovered posts critical of Labor identities.
Bornstein was recently appointed adjunct associate professor at the University of Technology Sydney and is on the advisory board of the University of Melbourne’s Centre for Employment and Labour Relations Law.
Sportsbet chief executive Barni Evans.InternetCorporate empath Barni Evans swings the axe at Sportsbet
Few executives across corporate Australia have gone to quite the same lengths as Sportsbet chief executive Barni Evans to show that they get it. On what it’s like to be a teenager addicted to the pokies, the gambling boss told The Australian newspaper in 2023 that “I’ve been through that”.
A couple of years later, when US President Donald Trump was vapourising the US government’s diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) programs, Evans reportedly emailed staff to explain why he and other members of the leadership team adorned themselves with “Ally” T-shirts.
That email, which reportedly carried the subject line “Having each other’s back”, told staff: “How we show up is important and makes a difference.”
Well, this week, roughly 4 per cent of the company was informed that it wouldn’t be long before they wouldn’t have roles to show up for.
The Irish-owned gambling company informed affected staff that their roles would be made redundant on Wednesday morning. The headcount reduction will see Sportsbet cut 50 roles, CBD hears, accounting for about 4 per cent of the company’s total workforce of about 1200 people.
Confirming the cuts, a Sportsbet spokesman said the changes were made in response to a “more competitive and challenging environment”.
“These changes are focused on simplifying how teams work together, improving accountability and ensuring our business is set up for the long term,” the spokesman told CBD. “The impact on headcount is limited and we are currently in a consultation phase with affected employees. Our priority is supporting our people through that process.”
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Fiona Byrne is the CBD columnist for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via email.
John Buckley is a CBD columnist for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.Connect via email.
Sherryn Groch is a journalist at The Age covering crime. Email her at s.groch@nine.com.au or contact her securely on Signal @SherrynG.70Connect via X or email.From our partners