August
Higgins’ partner offered media pictures of alleged rape couch
The boyfriend of Brittany Higgins offered to send pictures of the couch she was allegedly raped on to a journalist, a Perth court has heard.
- Tom Rabe
‘Significantly different’ psychiatric report on Higgins emerges
The psychiatric report that helped secure Brittany Higgins a $2.4 million settlement was one of two dated on the same day, but which did not match, a Perth court has heard.
- Tom Rabe
Morrison feared ‘fatal outcome’ for Reynolds in Higgins saga
Scott Morrison told a court he saw Senator Linda Reynolds stressed during debate over Brittany Higgins’ rape allegations, and worried it would kill her.
- Tom Rabe and Tom McIlroy
July
Bruce Lehrmann’s new lawyer is not used to defamation cases
Colourful Sydney lawyer Zali Burrows is now representing former political adviser Bruce Lehrmann as he pushes ahead with his defamation appeal.
- Michael Pelly
Lehrmann committed to stand trial on two counts of rape
Magistrate Mark Howden returned with a decision that a reasonable jury, properly instructed, could potentially find the allegations proven beyond reasonable doubt.
- Rex Martinich
June
- Court
- Linda Reynolds
Lehrmann rape hearing adjourned for ‘no-case’ argument
A rape charge hearing against former Liberal Party staffer Bruce Lehrmann has been adjourned, with his defence set to argue he has no case to answer.
- Rex Martinich
May
Lehrmann files appeal without lawyers
Bruce Lehrmann has told the Federal Court he will appeal against the finding at his defamation trial that he raped former colleague Brittany Higgins.
- Updated
- Michael Pelly
April
- Opinion
- Sexism
Women know the true power of Justice Lee’s finding
It wasn’t just about one rape in Canberra. It is a pattern of male behaviour lamented by all politicians but which continues just the same.
- Laura Tingle
- Analysis
- Legal industry
What Bruce Lehrmann could do next
Bruce Lehrmann has 28 days to appeal, but he needs to find the lawyers and the money first.
- Michael Pelly
- Opinion
- Opinion
Higgins ‘cover-up’ no Watergate. It was another ‘Russsiagate’
Journalists won “glittering prizes” for the stories that were misinformation, but there’s no sign of anyone giving back their awards.
- John Roskam
Ex-Seven producer demands compensation, apology from Seven
Taylor Auerbach, who helped secure Bruce Lehrmann for an exclusive Spotlight interview, says he has been proven right by the Federal Court’s decision on Monday.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones
- Exclusive
- Media & marketing
Lehrmann judge queries Ten lawyer’s criticism
Lawyer Justin Quill says the way defamation trials pick apart journalists’ work is “divorced from reality”.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones
- Analysis
- Legal industry
Bruce Lehrmann’s lawyer, Mark O’Brien, is on a losing streak
Losses in high-profile cases have experts wondering if Sydney’s client-friendly defamation culture is changing.
- Aaron Patrick
A rape, a cover-up narrative and a political firestorm
“Tonight, claims of rape, roadblocks to a police investigation, and a young woman forced to choose between her career and the pursuit of justice”. That is how Ten introduced its interview with Brittany Higgins.
- Ronald Mizen
- Updated
- Scott Morrison
Higgins, Sharaz should settle with ‘vindicated’ Reynolds: Dutton
The opposition leader says Brittany Higgins and her fiancé David Sharaz should settle the senator’s defamation actions against them and issue a “full apology”.
- Ronald Mizen
The Lehrmann judgment’s best line wears many hats
Who wouldn’t want credit for the line that more than any other will come to characterise this trial?
- Updated
- Myriam Robin
- Analysis
- Analysis
How Lehrmann’s many lies added up to rape
In this contest of credibility between Bruce Lehrmann and Brittany Higgins, the judge decided it was no contest.
- Updated
- Michael Pelly
Judge finds Lehrmann raped Higgins, but no Morrison cover-up
Justice Michael Lee has found that Bruce Lehrmann raped his former colleague in 2019, but says the talk of a political cover-up was “short on facts”.
- Updated
- Sam Buckingham-Jones
What judge in Lehrmann trial said about consent
The judgment sheds light on modern understandings of consent – or, as Justice Lee said, what “the ordinary person on the Belconnen omnibus” views as rape.
- Hannah Wootton
The omnishambles built on rape and ‘short-on-facts’ theory
Never before in Australia’s history has one allegation sparked such an extensive, expensive and, oftentimes, downright bizarre series of courtroom battles.
- Ronald Mizen