A Victorian judge is to rule on costs for former federal Liberal MP Sophie Mirabella after her $175,000 defamation win.
The ex-politician successfully sued Victorian newspaper the Benalla Ensign and its editor Libby Price over an article claiming she pushed rival politician Cathy McGowan during a photo opportunity.
Ms Mirabella was awarded the damages on Wednesday after a jury found she had been defamed.
The 2016 article was published before a federal election in which Ms Mirabella hoped to win back the seat of Indi from Ms McGowan.
County Court Judge Michael Macnamara said Ms Mirabella was wrongly portrayed as carrying out the push and while the act itself was not "very significant", the damage to her reputation was not so minor, given the circumstances.
The judge will rule on costs on May 24.
Australian Associated Press
