Bruce Lehrmann’s legal stoush with ex-Seven staffer over Thai masseuse claim
The bizarre situation involving Bruce Lehrmann and Taylor Auerbach may soon end up in defamation proceedings.
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A dispute over whether a drunken night in the company of two Thai masseuses ever occurred for former Channel Seven producer Taylor Auerbach and Bruce Lehrmann is potentially heading to court.
The bizarre situation follows a story by Samantha Maiden on news.com.au last week in which it was revealed a producer for Seven’s current affairs program Spotlight – Auerbach – had apparently paid $1000 on a company credit card for Thai massages for he and Mr Lehrmann.
Following that Mr Lehrmann released a statement calling it “an untrue and bizarre story from a disgruntled ex-Network Seven producer”.
That denial is understood to have led to Mr Auerbach’s solicitor Rebekah Giles sending a concerns notice to Mr Lehrmann’s legal team on Wednesday.
But in a twist, The Daily Telegraph understands Mr Lehrmann is so far unaware of any such concerns notice.
The Daily Telegraph has approached Ms Giles, on behalf of Mr Auerbach, and Mr Lehrmann for comment on the matter.
The apparent legal letter comes two days after Mr Auerbach’s hastily convened gathering of media at an Elizabeth Bay park, where the former Spotlight producer read from a prepared statement in which he denied he had lost his job at Channel Seven over the 2022 incident.
“It was reported that I was counselled and given a written warning by Channel Seven over my conduct relating to a night involving Bruce Lehrmann – that reporting is inaccurate. As are reports that I lost my job over the incident,” Mr Auerbach said.
“Mr Lehrmann very quickly issued a denial about the story, saying, and I quote, ‘it’s an untrue and bizarre story from a disgruntled ex network Seven producer’.
“I would like to make it abundantly clear that I reject Mr Lehrmann’s accusations. That’s all I can say for the time being.”
The press conference lasted less than two minutes, with Mr Auerbach refusing to take questions after delivering the statement.
As he left the park and walked home to his nearby residence, bemused journalists shouted after him that he could have sent the statement via a press release.
The legal letter is the latest element of an unusual fiasco surrounding Mr Auerbach’s former Spotlight colleague, Steve Jackson.
Mr Jackson was just last week named as NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb’s new spin doctor, after Liz Deegan was sacked on March 13, but NSW Police announced on Thursday March 28 that Mr Jackson would no longer continue in the role.
The process behind his appointment was subject to ongoing controversy since it was confirmed one week ago, although there is no suggestion the veteran journalist was not qualified for the $400,000 a year role.
Jackson was named in a series of text messages where he suggested his then employee Auerbach ask a Thai massage parlour to reverse a charge of $1000 on the Seven credit card in exchange for cash, plus a bonus for the trouble.
The credit card had been used, without Jackson’s knowledge or approval, to book a massage for former Liberal staffer Mr Lehrmann, while Spotlight was in the process of locking him in for a television interview. It is not suggested that Mr Jackson has engaged in any wrongdoing.
Mr Lehrmann is also not accused of wrongdoing in his dealings with Spotlight.
Mr Jackson will now walk away from the role of NSW Police Executive Director of Public Affairs with four weeks’ pay, or $20,000, after his contract with police has come to an end.
He told The Australian newspaper last week he was in Sydney and did meet with Seven producers on the night in question, but said any suggestion he got a massage was “untrue.”
Auerbach later repaid the money in full to Seven, and Seven says the matter has been dealt with.
After leaving Spotlight last year, Auerbach was employed at Sky News as an investigations producer but he was dismissed on Thursday when the text messages and credit card use came to light.
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