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Rebel denies lying about smear websites amid film fight

Aussie A-lister Rebel Wilson continues to deny any involvement in smear websites attacking a producer with whom she is feuding.

The Pitch Perfect star is being sued by Charlotte MacInnes, the Australian lead actor of the musical comedy The Deb.

MacInnes claims she was defamed by social media posts from Wilson that suggest she is a liar who retracted a sexual harassment complaint to advance her career.

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Rebel Wilson arrives at the Federal Court in Sydney on April 28, 2026.

Wilson claims the young actor confided that she felt uncomfortable after sharing a bath in swimwear with The Deb co-producer Amanda Ghost following a medical episode in September 2023.

MacInnes denies making the complaint and says her reputation has been damaged by suggestions she retracted it for a lead role and a record deal.

The claims were referenced in smear websites created by a crisis PR team that described Ghost as an "Indian Ghislaine Maxwell" and a sex trafficker.

Giving evidence in the Federal Court today, Wilson denied authoring or ordering the creation of the malicious websites.

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SMH first use. Charlotte MacInnes arrives at Federal Court on Wednesday. She is suing Rebel Wilson for defamation. Wednesday 22nd April 2026. Photo: Sitthixay Ditthavong

She said her US lawyer hired The Agency Group to assist her with a legal dispute with her co-producers, repeatedly insisting the firm had not been commissioned to work for her.

The firm is also accused of creating smear websites against Hollywood actor Blake Lively on behalf of her co-star Justin Baldoni.

Wilson rejected suggestions from MacInnes' barrister, Sue Chrysanthou SC, that she was lying and pretending to misunderstand questions.

"You know you've lied about this topic for a year, haven't you?" Chrysanthou asked.

"No," Wilson responded.

The Bridesmaids star said anyone could have created the Word document from which the content of the smear websites appeared to have been sourced.

The metadata records the author as Wilson's company, but the actor denied any knowledge of the document and suggested anyone could have used the name.

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Amanda Ghost arriving at the Law Courts complex in, Greens Square, Sydney, NSW, Friday, 24 April 2026. Ms Ghost is appearing to give evidence today in the Rebel Wilson court case.  Photo: Sam Mooy / The Sydney Morning Herald

Wilson said she didn't think she would have been horrified by the allegations against Ghost on the websites because the producer had been bullying and harassing her at the time.

She was questioned about a previous statement that she regarded herself as a champion of women and considered her commitment to The Deb was proof of that.

"Do you still say you regard yourself as a champion of women?" Chrysanthou asked.

"Yes," Wilson replied.

"If you look over my 25-year career, you can see many evidences (sic) of me supporting women".

The Deb director denied mistreating MacInnes and Ghost while working with them on the film, labelling accusations of private and public bullying as "absolute nonsense".

"Inappropriate behaviour from a person in power to an employee is a serious problem," Wilson said.

She had smiled as she entered the courthouse, but appeared more guarded when she got into the witness box.

Wilson falsely portrayed herself as a whistleblower who spoke up to protect MacInnes when she was actually using the alleged complaint as leverage in a dispute with her co-producers, Chrysanthou claimed.

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Rebel Wilson arrives at the Federal Court in Sydney on April 28, 2026. Photo: Dominic Lorrimer

"This is how this bully, apparently this saviour of women, the protector of the harassed, responds," she previously told the court.

But Wilson raised her concerns with others even though she had doubts about the veracity of the alleged complaint, her lawyer David Sibtain SC said.

The central issue is not whether MacInnes was a victim, but instead whether she complained to Wilson and then altered her story, he said.

"She changed her story," Sibtain said in his opening address.

"She did so to ensure her career as an actress and musician progressed by appeasing Ghost."

Sibtain argued that MacInnes' reputation hasn't suffered any harm to her reputation at all as a result of the social media posts.

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Boy, 15, allegedly struck in Sydney hit-and-run attack near off-duty cops

Shocking footage has emerged of an alleged hit-and-run crash in Sydney's Northern Beaches after a man was accused of ramming a teenager on an e-bike near two off-duty police officers.

The 15-year-old boy was allegedly struck by a Volkswagen SUV about 4.30pm yesterday at the intersection of Abbott and Pitt roads, in North Curl Curl.

Police say events began when the 38-year-old man driving the vehicle allegedly made an offensive hand gesture towards a group of teenage e-bike riders before driving away.

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The boy was taken to Prince of Wales Hospital in a critical but stable condition.

The teenagers followed the car before one of them began arguing with the driver.

During the row, the driver allegedly threw a water bottle at the teen before driving away.

The 15-year-old then threw the same water bottle back at the car, but it did not make an impact.

The teenager continued following the car before blocking it at the intersection.

The driver is accused of hitting the teenager with his vehicle, causing the boy to be thrown from the e-bike.

As the camera moves, it reveals the 15-year-old boy who had allegedly been struck.

"He ran me over," the alleged victim can be heard saying.

"He ran straight over me."

Two nearby off-duty police officers and other onlookers told the driver to stop, but he allegedly ignored them and drove off.

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"It's just a shocking thing to happen in a quiet street like this, especially involving a young kid on a bike," a resident told 9News.

Paramedics were called and a rescue helicopter was put on standby as a precaution.

The 15-year-old boy was treated for serious leg injuries before being taken to hospital in a serious but stable condition.

Police launched an investigation. The 38-year-old man handed himself in at Dee Why, before being transferred to Manly Police Station.

He was charged with driving furiously in a motor vehicle, causing bodily harm, negligent driving and driving while a licence application has been refused.

The man was granted strict conditional bail and is scheduled to appear in court next month.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said today he was "particularly worried" about how e-bikes were overtaking footpaths and roads.

"They're getting in the way of citizens, particularly pedestrians," Minns said.

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Aussies just hours from learning likely fate on triple dose of rate hike pain

Borrowers are just hours away from receiving the clearest indication of whether an unwelcome third-straight interest rate rise will be handed down next week.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics will deliver the latest round of inflation figures tomorrow morning, including for the first quarter of the year and the individual month of March.

While the Reserve Bank has historically placed far greater emphasis on quarterly numbers, the monthly data will better capture the impact of fuel prices, which skyrocketed in the wake of the war in Iran.

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Shoppers at Pitt Street Mall in Sydneys

While exact forecasts differ, economists are predicting inflation will surge to its highest level since 2023, with a headline figure of about 4.8 per cent – far higher than the RBA's target of 2-3 per cent.

"Headline inflation is set to rise sharply in March, driven by the surge in petrol prices following the outbreak of the Iran war," Commonwealth Bank senior economist Trent Saunders wrote in the bank's CPI preview earlier this month.

"We expect a monthly increase of 1.1 per cent, lifting the annual rate to around 4.6 per cent.

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"Fuel alone is likely to account for 0.9 percentage points of the monthly gain, with petrol prices at the pump rising by more than 30 per cent over the month."

While the RBA has already pulled the trigger on two hikes in as many meetings this year, and there are concerns about a slowing economy, its monetary policy board is expected to make it three from three when it meets next week.

All of the big four banks are expecting a third hike of the year next Tuesday – Westpac has even pencilled two further ones in June and August – and the market is pricing in a roughly three-quarters chance that the cash rate will be pushed back up to 4.35 per cent.

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Michele Bullock gives a press conference, November 4, 2025.

And while there is a chance tomorrow's inflation read may dampen the case for a rate hike next week – and the roughly $91-a-month blow it would deliver average mortgage-holders – the nation's biggest bank says it would take something extraordinary to stay the RBA's hand.

"Quarterly CPI, released tomorrow, will make or break the case for the Reserve Bank of Australia to increase its cash rate," CBA international economist Samara Hammoud said.

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"Financial markets are currently pricing around a 78 per cent chance of a hike.

"There is a risk of a weaker outcome for underlying inflation than consensus.

"However, in our view, it would take a large downward surprise to materially pull down market pricing for a May hike."

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