Does the DEFENDER get a campaign point when winning a Corellian Conflict Special Assault? The rules seem to elude to they do, but I'm not sure that was what was intended.

Unfortunately not.

"After a player wins a battle as the defender at a location with a base or outpost sticker, or as the assaulting or defending player at an unoccupied location, that player's team gains one campaign point.

...

If the battle was a special assault, the winner player does not gain one campaign point."

Even though, by requirement, it is an unoccupied location, it doesn't count because of that last caveat.

The caveat is the winner does not gain one campaign point - Assaulter or defender.