Claims extracted
21
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
14%
3 of 21 hedged
("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
67/100
ABC News (AU)'s corrections and
hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
1
Crime & Law
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
In short:
Gemma Johnston, 56, has faced court on charges of stalking and ongoing breaches of a violence restraining order.
asserted
Johnston → face → order
She resigned as a Shire of Esperance councillor in August and contested last year's federal election for One Nation.
What's next?
asserted
What → resign → Nation
She is due to reappear in court in January for a trial listing hearing.
asserted
She → reappear → hearing
A former local government councillor and One Nation candidate in Western Australia is set to fight charges of stalking and ongoing breaches of violence restraining orders.
asserted
councillor → set → orders
Gemma Marie Johnston served nearly three years as a Shire of Esperance councillor before resigning in August.
asserted
Johnston → serve → August
Last year she was a One Nation candidate for the federal seat of O'Connor, winning 11 per cent of the primary vote behind Liberal incumbent Rick Wilson (34 per cent).
asserted
she → win → Wilson
The 56-year-old faced the Esperance Magistrate's Court on Tuesday on two charges of pursuing another to intimidate and 41 separate breaches of violence restraining orders.
asserted
old → face → orders
She entered not guilty pleas to all charges and is set to reappear in court for a trial listing hearing on January 12.
asserted
She → enter → January
The court heard the stalking charges related to two senior shire staff members between February 11, 2025 and May 11 this year, and a separate allegation between August 8 and August 26 this year.
uncertain
charges → hear → August
The VRO breaches are alleged to have occurred between May 2025 and May this year, while Ms Johnston was serving as a councillor.
uncertain
Johnston → allege → councillor
During Tuesday's hearing, Ms Johnston was reprimanded several times by court staff before and during her appearance for the use of her mobile phone in the courtroom, and reminded of court etiquette.
asserted
Johnston → reprimand → etiquette
Ms Johnston's lawyer, Nick Terry, requested a copy of his client's phone records, which had been downloaded by police.
asserted
which → request → police
The prosecution told the court the volume of data was "extensive" and it would likely take several weeks.
asserted
it → tell → weeks
Magistrate William Yoo ordered the records to be delivered by December 18.
asserted
records → order → December
Colourful career as councillor
Between her election in October 2023 and resignation three months ago, Ms Johnston was sanctioned three times by the Local Government Standards Panel for breaches of its code of conduct.
asserted
Johnston → sanction → conduct
She breached regulations by engaging an external planning consultant to refute the shire's information contained in a council agenda, and was ordered to undergo seven hours of training for elected members.
asserted
She → breach → members
In August 2025, she was suspended for a month by the State Administrative Tribunal for failing to complete the training.
asserted
she → suspend → training
On another occasion, Ms Johnston was accused of using "inside knowledge" as an elected member to arrange a flash mob outside the shire's administration building to confront then-fisheries minister Don Punch about the proposed South Coast Marine Park.
asserted
Johnston → accuse → Park
She was later cleared of that allegation.
asserted
She → clear → allegation
But Ms Johnston was ordered by the panel to publicly apologise to fellow councillor Wes Graham regarding "disparaging" comments she made on social media at the time.
asserted
she → order → time
In May this year, the panel ordered Ms Johnston to make another public apology for "improper conduct" after involving herself in an administrative task without authorisation and speaking to a shire contractor in a disparaging manner about a council staff member.
uncertain
panel → order → member
The Aporia