David Sharaz has been ordered to pay $92,000 for social media posts the Western Australian supreme court found were defamatory against former defence minister Linda Reynolds.

Sharaz, a former journalist and Higgins’ now-husband, has also been found jointly responsible for another defamatory tweet to which Higgins responded, according to the court’s orders.

Higgins was ordered to pay $135,000 plus interest in the court’s judgment in August in her trial against Reynolds. The ruling means both are now jointly liable for the single payout.

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Justice Paul Tottle said Sharaz was also liable for Reynolds’ legal costs on an indemnity basis. The total will be determined at a later date but is expected to exceed $500,000.

“The defamatory publications were indefensi

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