Luke Sayers, the former president of the Carlton Football Club, has extended an apology to his ex-wife following the resolution of her defamation case concerning an inappropriate photo.
Apology Delivered in Court
During a hearing at the Victorian Supreme Court on Friday, Sayers’ legal representatives conveyed the apology after announcing the settlement.
“I acknowledge the extreme hurt and harm caused to Cate Sayers by suggesting she posted or may have posted [the lewd photo],” said barrister Sandip Mukerjea on behalf of Sayers.
“I accept she did not do this. To the extent I may have suggested otherwise, I apologise unreservedly to her.”
Background of the Case
Cate Sayers had alleged that Luke Sayers defamed her through a statutory declaration, which claimed she accessed his X account and shared a photo of his genitals in January 2025, tagging a female executive at Bupa.
This declaration was signed by Luke Sayers shortly after the controversial post, which was deleted swiftly, while investigations by the AFL and Carlton took place.
In May, Luke Sayers, a former chief executive at PwC, sought to transfer the case to the federal circuit and family court of Australia for a private hearing.
However, Justice Andrew Watson denied this request in June, determining that the Supreme Court was the appropriate venue for handling a defamation claim.
Settlement and Reactions
On Friday, the judge dismissed the case and praised both parties for arriving at a settlement, although the details of the agreement were not disclosed in open court.
“All litigation involves time, expense and risk,” Watson stated. “There was every reason to expect this proceeding would be no different.”
Outside the courtroom, Cate Sayers expressed her acceptance of her ex-husband’s apology, stating that the settlement marked the conclusion of a “painful and difficult chapter” in her life.
“I commenced these proceedings to establish the truth, clearly and finally,” she told reporters. “With Luke’s apology, I feel I have achieved what I set out to do.”
She expressed gratitude to the women who supported her and hoped that the outcome would empower them to stand up for the truth.
She also mentioned her desire to move forward with her life but did not disclose whether the settlement included any financial compensation.
Luke Sayers presided over the Carlton board from 2021 until 2025. Prior to that role, he led PwC Australia from 2012 to 2020.
During an inquiry into a confidentiality and tax scandal in 2023, he apologized while asserting that he had no prior knowledge of the incident.
“If the [tax office] had directly and formally advised me as the CEO of PwC Australia… I would have sought details and ensured a full and thorough investigation,” he stated at that time.
