Bruce Lehrmann’s blue book included notes on Lisa Wilkinson and Brittany Higgins’ parents
The contents of Bruce Lehrmann’s ‘blue book’ has been revealed in court documents, showing his notes on Lisa Wilkinson and Brittany Higgins’ parents.
Bruce Lehrmann made a note about Brittany Higgins’ parents in the weeks following news of her rape allegation breaking, court documents have revealed.
Excerpts of Mr Lehrmann’s ‘blue book’ were released by the Federal Court on Friday as part of his defamation case against Channel 10 and Lisa Wilkinson, as well as News Corp’s News Life Media and Samantha Maiden, over their TV and online stories about Ms Higgins’ rape allegation.
Mr Lehrmann strenuously denies having sex with Ms Higgins and the criminal charge against him was dropped.
Screenshots of the handwritten notebook revealed he was interested in Ms Higgins’ life and linked Ms Wilkinson to other high profile defamation claims.
Under a headline “Media John,” Mr Lehrmann wrote:
“BH parents? Where are they” …“Who the ex boyfriend/bloke in her photos” …“her resignation & monetary incentives” … “breakdown of the (Linda) Reynolds and BH relationship”.
The latter note was a reference to Linda Reynolds, the former defence minister whose ministerial suite was the scene of the alleged rape.
Mr Lehrmann earlier told the court “Media John” refers to his close friend John Macgowan, who was not engaged to give media advice throughout Mr Lehrmann’s legal battle but gave guidance as a friend.
On that page, he wrote “BH not punished for security breach” and “circumstances of BH leaving (Michaelia) Cash’s office in January 2021,” among other notes.
The book also revealed Mr Lehrmann’s interest in other figures, with Lisa Wilkinson listed at the top of his list.
Under another headline reading “Media John,” Mr Lehrmann jotted down “Wilkinson”. Branching off from her name, he wrote “Rush” and “Jarratt,” seemingly referencing the two high profile defamation claims of actors Geoffrey Rush and John Jarratt.
Oscar-winning Mr Rush won his defamation claim against The Daily Telegraph after it reported he sexually touched a female co-star.
In July 2020, The Daily Telegraph lost its bid to overturn the court ruling that it must pay Mr Rush $2.9 million for defaming him in the news stories regarding a 2015 King Lear theatre production.
Actor John Jarratt settled a defamation case in 2019 against The Daily Telegraph over the Sydney newspaper’s reporting of rape allegations against him.
A 12-person jury unanimously found Mr Jarratt not guilty of raping his former housemate 40 years ago.
He sued over an article published in July, 2019, headlined ‘Jarratt accuser ‘broken’’. An apology published on the Telegraph’s website read: “Mr Jarratt was fully acquitted of the charge after a unanimous ‘not guilty’ verdict . . . We apologise to Mr Jarratt for the hurt and embarrassment caused by the publication of the article.”
Underneath the name “Wilkinson,” Mr Lehrmann wrote “Grace Tame... Sam Maiden... Linda Reynolds + Dutton... Frydenberg... Morrison” and “McCormack” and “Mani”.
The people listed by surnames only are understood to reference Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, former treasurer Josh Frydenberg, former Prime Minister Scott Morrison, former deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack and former NSW political staffer Dhanya Mani.
Justice Michael Lee has to determine whether Mr Lehrmann’s defamation case will go to trial.
That’s because Mr Lehrmann took two years to sue – twice the normal legal time limit to start such proceedings.
A Federal Court public hearing before Justice Lee concluded yesterday, in which evidence was heard from both sides. The case was reserved for judgment, when Justice Lee will rule on whether to extend that deadline and allow the case to go to trial.
Mr Lehrmann’s legal team is relying on three reasons for his delay in suing: receiving legal advice from criminal lawyer Warwick Korn against doing so, the fact he was also facing criminal proceedings and his mental health.
Mr Lehrmann strenuously denies having sex with Ms Higgins and the criminal charge against him was dropped.
The “blue book” was first referenced in the earlier hearing into the limitation extension on March 16.
In that hearing, Mr Lehrmann was quizzed about the book which police obtained photographs of after he was questioned.
Channel 10’s lawyer Matt Collins KC asked Lehrmann, who was giving evidence on the matter for the first time:
“One of the things the AFP identified was an album in your photos titled ‘Higgins matter blue note’. Were they photographs you had taken of handwritten notes, physically a blue notebook?”
Mr Lehrmann replied: “Yes.”
Dr Collins went on to detail how the blue book included notes about “friendly journalists”.
They included Sky News presenters Andrew Clennell and Andrew Bolt and 60 Minutes’ Chris O’Keefe and Channel 9 political journalist Chris Uhlmann.
“Was part of that to plan your fight back against what you had seen in the media?” Mr Collins asked, and Mr Lehrmann agreed.
Mr Lehrmann was also asked about an entry made on March 4, 2021, three weeks after The Project story went to air, that named a “Joanne”.
He said it was a reference to a person a close friend suggested may “be able to assist with media”.
Mr Lehrmann agreed with the proposition that in March 2021 he was “actively contemplating telling his story publicly”.
He was asked about a second list of names, which he said were journalists or columnists he thought may have defamed him.
The ‘blue book’ mentioned Alexandra Smith from The Sydney Morning Herald, Rosie Lewis from The Australian and Vikki Campion, the partner of Barnaby Joyce who is a columnist for The Daily Telegraph.
“So on the 4th of March, 2021, you were giving active consideration to potential defamation rights against Rosie Lewis, Alex Smith and Vikki Campion?” Mr Collins asked.
But Mr Lehrmann said it was not that simple.
“Well no, I wrote them down because they had written articles about me that I was outraged at,” he said.
On another page in the ‘blue book’, Mr Lehrmann wrote about the night Ms Higgins claimed she was raped by Mr Lehrmann.
“You’ve written your account of what happened on that night?” Dr Collins asked.
“No,” Mr Lehrmann said.
“It was a collection of what I had seen (Ms Higgins) traverse in the media and then some annotated thoughts and not complete accounts.”
Dr Collins read an entry from Mr Lehrmann in the blue book that read: “BH initiated drinks and we were equals”.
“These bullet points are the key points that you wanted to convey to friendly media in any interview that you’re contemplating?” Dr Collins asked.
“I don’t accept that it was solely for the purposes of a media interview,” Mr Lehrmann said.