Warren Tredrea is no stranger to headlines. As Port Adelaide's only AFL premiership captain, his football legacy is secure. But lately, Tredrea's name has been making news for a very different reason: his ongoing legal battle with Channel 9, and his unusual arguments about personal sovereignty and legal tender.
After being dismissed from Channel 9 for refusing to comply with its Covid-19 vaccination policy, Tredrea took his former employer to court, lost, and was ordered to pay significant legal costs. This week, he told the Federal Court he couldn't pay those costs using Australian currency because, he claimed, there are no "gold or silver coins" in circulation. Instead, he sent Channel 9 a promissory note, a written promise to pay at a future date. He also argued that he's "not an entity, legal person, citizen, resident or any form of creature of statute." While Tredrea insists he isn't a "sovereign citizen," his claims closely resemble the arguments often made by that movement.
I will break down why these claims are certain to fail in an Australian court.
1. Sovereignty Belongs to the People, Not Individuals
In Australia, sovereignty isn't something you can claim for yourself. The Constitution and the laws made under it apply to everyone in the country. You can't simply declare yourself outside the law or exempt from its reach. The High Court has made it clear: Parliament makes laws for all people within Australia's jurisdiction, and there's no legal way to "opt out." The leading High Court authority rejecting individual sovereignty arguments is Coe v The Commonwealth [1993] HCA 42; (1993) 68 ALJR 110. In this case, the Court made clear that challenges to the sovereignty of the Crown, or claims that individuals or groups can be exempt from Australian law on the basis of their own asserted sovereignty, cannot be entertained by Australian courts. The Court found such claims to be "frivolous and vexatious" and outside the jurisdiction of the courts, reaffirming that sovereignty in Australia is established by the Constitution and applies collectively, not individually. The High Court also addressed the collective nature of sovereignty in Rowe v Electoral Commissioner (2010) 243 CLR 1, confirming that sovereignty resides with the Australian people as a whole, not with individuals.
2. The "Sovereign Citizen" Playbook Has Never Worked
Australian courts have seen these arguments before. People have tried to argue that they don't have to follow the law because they're "sovereign" or that only contracts they personally agree to are binding. Others claim that only "gold and silver" are legal tender, or that government-issued IDs don't apply to them. Every time, courts have dismissed these arguments as baseless and irrelevant.
3. A Personal Promissory Note is NotLegal Tender
The law is clear: a personal promissory note is not legal tender for paying debts. The claim that debts can't be paid because there are no gold or silver coins in circulation is a myth that's been thrown out by courts time and again.
4. You Can't Opt Out of Being a "Legal Person"
Saying you're not a "legal person" or "creature of statute" has no effect. Legal personality is determined by law, not by personal declaration. If you're in Australia, you're subject to its laws, no matter what you call yourself, like it or lump it!
5. Courts Have No Patience for Pseudolaw
Judges have consistently called these kinds of arguments "frivolous and vexatious." Sometimes, people who persist in making them end up with even bigger legal bills.
What Happens Next?
Tredrea's arguments are destined to fail in the Federal Court. The court is bound by the Constitution and legal precedent, both of which leave no room for "sovereign individual" claims. Not only will the court refuse to accept his promissory note, but it may also impose additional penalties if he continues down this path.
Warren Tredrea's football achievements are legendary, but his legal strategy is a non-starter. In Australia, you can't opt out of the law, invent your own currency, or declare yourself beyond the reach of the courts. These arguments have no legal basis and are guaranteed to fail.
"Warren Tredrea was no stranger to media attention across a football career that helped deliver Port Adelaide its first AFL premiership.
The club great then turned TV sports presenter, reading the nightly news on Channel 9 Adelaide.
However, in more recent years he has once again become the story – this time following his high-profile exit from the network, an ongoing legal battle with his former employer and for his views on health and societal issues.
How did the Power great get here? And what does it mean for his place on the club's board?
WHAT IS TREDREA'S HISTORY AT PORT ADELAIDE?
When you think of Port Adelaide legends, Tredrea is one of the first that comes to mind.
He's the club's only AFL premiership captain, he played 255-games kicking 549 goals, has won four best and fairests, has four All Australian jackets to his name and is an Australian Football Hall of Fame inductee. After some time away from the club, he joined the board last year. So, basically he's a big deal.
WHY WAS HE SACKED BY CHANNEL 9?
After retiring Tredrea entered the media. He presented sport for Channel 9's Adelaide news for eight years until his contract was terminated in January 2022. Channel 9 dismissed Tredrea after he refused to get the Covid-19 vaccine after issuing a staff direction that to enter the workplace from December 1, 2021 they needed to be fully vaccinated and provide a digital certificate to prove their status.
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?
In October 2022, Tredrea launched legal action against Channel 9 in the Federal Court for a breach of contract. The Port Adelaide great claimed he should be paid out the remainder of his 2022 salary – $176,458.32 – and compensated for the missed opportunity of working with Nine for 30 more years. Tredrea claimed he "broke more stories" than his colleagues, who won awards "off the back of me", while Nine said he was dismissed not because of his stance on the vaccine but because of his performance in the job compared to his high salary. Last year the Federal Court ruled against Tredrea's claim that was unfairly dismissed because of Nine's vaccination mandate, ruling his dismissal was "not unreasonable" given his "opinions" about vaccines "were not particularly well-informed" nor "soundly based".
WHY IS HE BACK IN THE HEADLINES THIS WEEK?
While Tredrea was spared paying Nine's trial costs, he was not spared of those of his failed appeal – estimated at $100,000 to $200,000. This week he told a court he had paid his debt to Channel 9 with a legal IOU because Australia has no "gold or silver coins" in circulation. In Federal Court documents, Tredrea said he could not pay his debt ordered by the court with known legal tender because Australian currency lacks gold and silver coins. Instead he had sent his former employer "a promissory note" – a written promise, by one party, to make a payment at a future date under terms and conditions. Tredrea says that because Nine did not return the note to him within 72 hours his debt has been discharged. He also claimed in the documents that he was "not an entity, legal person, citizen, resident or any form of creature of statute". On Tuesday, Tredrea said; "I'm not pretending to be anything sovereign or a sovereign citizen – what I've done is provide a promissory note for payment".:37
Upon joining the board Tredrea became part of the Power's football committee, which oversees the club's football departments, looks at short and long-term strategies and touches on coaching appointments, recruitment and contracts.
In his roles in the media – particularly on FIVEaa and when he wrote columns for The Advertiser – Tredrea was arguably the biggest critic of the club and senior coach Ken Hinkley. In 2022 he approached the club about joining its board to replace Darren Cahill as an AFL approved member. Power chairman David Koch rejected this saying Tredrea would instead have to stand at the members' election at the end of 2023. He ran in this election against Port great Bruce Abernethy in a highly publicised race. Just 199 votes separated the two club greats but eventually it was the club's members who got him on.
WILL THE RECENT COURT PROCEEDINGS IMPACT HIS ROLE AT THE CLUB?
While this, and some of the views Tredrea has shared and engaged with on his social media and through his podcast 'The Ballsy Show' have raised eyebrows the Power have been steadfast in that this doesn't affect his football nous and he has been doing a good job on the board. Tredrea has claimed that Channel 9 is trying to bankrupt him. If this did happen then he would have to step aside from the board role.
WHAT HAS THE CLUB SAID PUBLICLY?
On Tuesday the Power said it was a "private matter" for Tredrea and the Federal Court. On Wednesday Koch was asked on FIVEaa if there was anything that had emerged that would force the club to change its relationship with one of its greats. He said Tredrea had been a "really good contributor to board meetings".
"Like all directors on a board, he's a volunteer, so he's not a paid member of staff or on the executive team," Koch said.
"What happens in his private life is up to him, whether you agree with some of the things he says or not doesn't really matter.
"I'm just interested in how he performs as a director on the Port Adelaide board, and he's doing pretty well."
Tredrea's tenure, which began in February 2024, runs for three-years as a member elected director.
WHO ELSE EMPLOYS TREDREA?
He is part of FIVEaa's coverage of Port Adelaide games this year, but has not been on the radio's weekly sport show as he was last year.
WHAT HAVE HIS EX-TEAMMATES SAID?
Premiership teammate Kane Cornes was asked about it on the Agenda Setters on Channel 7 on Tuesday and he said he felt "sad" about the situation.
"I've got a lot of affection for Warren because he was such a good mentor for me when I was a young player coming through and I always will be grateful for that," he said.
"In fact he helped me through some challenging times when I was coming through.
"He is the best player I have ever played with along with Gavin Wanganeen and Robbie Gray so I guess my overriding emotion is I feel a bit sad.
"I don't think anyone wants to be doorstopped outside the front of court … It's not an ideal situation to be in owing money to someone.
"This isn't ideal for the Port Adelaide Football Club at all and they should be a bit stronger in what they are saying.
"I think their statement has been around 'this is a private matter so we won't be commenting but I think the Port Adelaide fans deserve a little bit more than that."
WHAT NEXT?
On Tuesday justice Stephen McDonald ordered written arguments be filed for consideration by the Full Court on a date to be set. If Tredrea is forced to pay Nine's costs and is made bankrupt then movement could happen regarding his spot on Port's board. But in the meantime while he may continue to raise some eyebrows the Power look set to continue to back in its club great – at least for now."