A Queensland mother has received a 10-page legal threat after publicly sharing footage of a tradesman allegedly making a racist "Asian eyes" gesture at her Uber driver. Jess Roberson, 38, posted the video on TikTok, showing the driver of a Provac-branded ute making the gesture.
The initial video led to public outrage and a statement from Provac condemning the employee's behavior and initiating an internal investigation. However, the dispute escalated when Roberson shared information that Provac director Matthew Lambert was a One Nation candidate for the Queensland seat of Forde in the upcoming federal election.
Provac, through its legal representatives, claims Roberson's posts and subsequent online activity have resulted in harassment, abuse of staff, and damage to the company's reputation. The legal correspondence accuses Roberson of falsely implying racism is embedded within Provac's management and workplace culture.
According to the legal letter, Provac alleges Roberson's calls for followers to "do your thing" and investigate the company fueled a coordinated online campaign. This campaign, the company claims, led to non-genuine Google reviews, abusive emails and phone calls, boycotts, and the targeting of employees and their families. Provac asserts that this fallout has caused significant commercial harm, damaged its reputation, and exposed the business to financial losses.
The legal firm, acting on behalf of Provac, has demanded that Roberson remove all related TikTok videos, cease further publications about the company, preserve evidence, moderate comments, publish a corrective statement for 30 days, and urge followers to retract non-genuine Google reviews. Provac states its intention to pursue legal action for injurious falsehood, alleging Roberson's publications were false, malicious, and directly responsible for the company's losses.
Roberson told media outlets that Provac had not contacted her directly but had instead approached her mother-in-law and husband. She stated that Dominic Lambert, son of Provac director Matthew Lambert, demanded her personal phone number from her mother-in-law and informed her that the company was pursuing legal action for defamation. Roberson has since sought legal counsel to respond to the cease-and-desist letter. She has also criticized Provac's initial response, stating the company needs to specify what actions are being taken.
Provac did not respond to requests for comment on the matter.