Rugby league and horse racing supremo Peter V'landys is expected to resume giving evidence on Thursday about the damage he alleges an ABC report did to his reputation.
The Racing NSW chief executive is suing the public broadcaster over a special report in October 2019 that exposed the slaughter of retired racehorses.
It featured footage recorded by hidden cameras of horses' final moments in the Meramist abattoir in Queensland.
Mr V'landys alleges that by implying he was responsible for the conduct, the report undermined his reputation as a regulator and brought his reputation into public disrepute, ridicule and contempt.
The ABC denies the report defamed Mr V'landys and maintains a copy of the episode and transcript on its website.
It is expected to outline its defence on Thursday.
The abattoir was outside Racing NSW's jurisdiction, the Federal Court was told on Wednesday.
"They (the ABC) had an agenda to make the racing industry and my client to look bad," Bruce McClintock SC said, opening his case on Wednesday.
Mr McClintock argues Mr V'landys was beset by a "firestorm of abuse" after the program aired on October 17.
Mr V'landys said he only learned of the existence of the abattoir footage two days after his interview with the ABC when the program aired.
"I feel deceived, I feel conned, I feel angry - a multitude of feelings," he said after viewing the program in full on Wednesday.
"Naturally, I was appalled with what happened at Meramist."
He said he valued his reputation highly.
"You can't be a regulator without having a solid reputation," he said.
Australian Associated Press
