Independent Australia
24 Nov 2022, 03:22 GMT+10
The concerted attacks against comedian Friendlyjordies are simply not funny.
Jordan Shanks-Markovina, known as Friendlyjordies, is a funny man and a popular YouTuber but his incisive investigative videos, which reveal embarrassing truths about politicians and powerful corporations, are ruffling too many feathers, it seems.
Lawyers for Shanks-Markovina, Xenophon Davis, posted a short statement on Twitter yesterday (23 November) revealing that Jordan's home had been fire-bombed. The suspected arson occurred in the early hours of the morning (approximately 12:20 am) and it was the second such attack in the past week.
Shanks-Markovina was not at home at the time, but police confirmed they are treating the incident as "suspicious" with the damage reported as "extensive".
IA spoke to lawyer Mark Davis of Xenophon Davis, who said this was a deliberate act of arson.
Davis told IA:
Friendlyjordies v John 'Call me Pork' Barilaro
Standing outside his home after the blaze yesterday morning, Jordan also told attending media:
The ongoing targeting of Jordan Shanks-Markovina by various people and bodies in recent months has been relentless.
Friendlyjordies' often irreverent work is also usually belittled by the legacy media club. But where they appear to suffer regularly from sensory impairment on matters of corruption, he has instead investigated and exposed many powerful people and organisations.
So, the list of people with a grudge against Jordan is extensive.
A brief rundown of the intimidation obviously aimed at silencing Friendlyjordies includes lawsuits, arrests, criminal charges, intensive investigation and surveillance and now, two suspected attempts on his life.
It all started with a defamation lawsuit launched against Shanks-Markovina by then NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro.
Friendlyjordies featured a series of videos, sending up Barilaro and raising questions of alleged corruption, which the Deputy Premier answered by slapping both Friendlyjordies and YouTube with defamation lawsuits.
Shortly after the defamation action, Friendlyjordies' 21-year-old producer Kristo Langker was arrested at his family home by the Fixated Persons Unit (a special police terror division intended to combat acts of terrorism). He was detained for six hours and charged with "stalking" and "intimidation" - despite only having had brief interactions with Barilaro.
Fixing fixations by arresting Friendlyjordies' Kristo
In what Shanks-Markovina described at the time as "a police terror unit being used as a toy for state politicians only famous for pork-barreling", both Shanks-Markovina and Langker were the subjects of investigation and surveillance by the Fixated Persons Unit for six months.
The bizarre Barilaro situation eventually wound up with police dropping all charges against Langker. Friendlyjordies settled out of court with Barilaro, paying legal costs in the defamation case, apologising for any harm and editing the offending videos. In the Google/YouTube case, the court awarded damages of $715K in favour of Barilaro.
However, not long after the defamation case settled, things got ugly again.
An investigation into ClubsNSW treatment of former employee Troy Stolz led to both Stolz and Shanks-Markovina being charged with contempt in a private legal action by the gambling lobby.
According to Mark Davis, these unusual legal proceedings - which are due to commence on Friday 25 November - effectively make private entity ClubNSW:
ClubsNSW's private criminal prosecution against Friendlyjordies
Now, we have two targeted arson attacks on Jordan's private home - attacks which appear to be attempts on his life.
Of course, Jordan was visibly extremely distressed and Mark Davis admitted to IA that the comedian was"certainly not laughing or making jokes about it".
Indeed, this is no laughing matter. As Independent Australia is well aware, legal threats and ongoing harassment from corporate law firms are bad enough, causing fear, anxiety and often hardship to those who dare to call out corruption.
Specialist terror units being deployed to investigate you and your staff for telling jokes a politician found embarrassing or incriminating, is even more frightening and distressing.
But almost getting killed and having your house burned down, all because your journalism makes some people uncomfortable, is something else altogether.
These acts are called arson and attempted murder. They are serious criminal offences - not funny at all.
In a time where publications are regularly intimidated for reporting the facts and journalists' lives are threatened for doing their job, the authorities must do as Mark Davis has urged, and devote "every resource necessary" to find the actual criminals here and bring them to justice.
This must happen if any remaining faith in our legal system is to be restored.
This editorial was originally published as part of the Independent Australia weekly newsletter - usually only available to subscribers - and may be read online in the IA members-only area.
Follow IA managing editor Michelle Pini on Twitter @vmp9. Follow Independent Australia on Twitter @independentaus and on Facebook HERE.
Get a daily dose of Australian Herald news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Australian Herald.
More InformationWASHINGTON, D.C.: President Donald Trump will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday. President...
GENEVA, Switzerland: A new United Nations report alleges that dozens of global corporations are profiting from and helping sustain...
LONDON, UK - Lawmakers in the United Kingdom have voted overwhelmingly to proscribe the direct-action group Palestine Action as a terrorist...
DHARAMSHALA, India: The Dalai Lama is set to address a significant three-day conference of Buddhist leaders this week, coinciding with...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: In a significant ruling last week, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Texas law requiring age verification for users...
ISTANBUL/PARIS/BRUSSELS: As searing temperatures blanket much of Europe, wildfires are erupting and evacuation orders are being issued...
Nearly three months after a devastating earthquake struck Myanmar, the country remains trapped in a deepening crisis, compounded by...
MELBOURNE, Australia: A second embryo mix-up in just two months has pushed one of Australia's largest IVF providers back into the spotlight,...
SYDNEY, Australia: Australia will not ease its strict biosecurity rules during trade talks with the United States, Prime Minister Anthony...
(250704) -- SLIVERSTONE, July 4, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Haas' driver Oliver Bearman of Britain is interviewed during the press day before...
New Delhi [India], July 4 (ANI): In one of the largest crackdowns on the illegal pharmaceutical trade, the Narcotics Control Bureau...
Washington DC [US], July 3 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that the South China Sea was discussed during the Quad...