Fallout continues from Lisa Wilkinson’s vocal Logies moment

Despite widespread speculation to the contrary, PS can confirm a team of lawyers had closely studied the small piece of paper Lisa Wilkinson carried with her to the Logies stage on Sunday night, on which a carefully prepared acceptance speech had been written.

PS has learnt that lawyers for the Ten Network were heavily involved in the speech Wilkinson delivered as she accepted the peer-voted Logie for the Most Outstanding News Coverage or Public Affairs Report for her interview with alleged rape victim Brittany Higgins. The defendant denies the allegation and will defend the charge at the trial before a jury.

Lisa Wilkinson giving her acceptance speech at the Logies.Credit: Nine

But despite the added precautions, Wilkinson’s speech incited the fury of the judiciary, with ACT Chief Justice Lucy McCallum postponing – through “gritted teeth” – the upcoming rape trial, sparking this week’s media pile-on which included rival Seven personality Natalie Barr questioning why the speech had not been “legalled”.

Except, it had.

In court this week it emerged Wilkinson met with the ACT Crown Prosecutor Shane Drumgold on June 15 to discuss the evidence she would give at the trial, which was scheduled to start on Monday.

A note of the meeting revealed Wilkinson was asked if she had any questions and mentioned she had been nominated for a Logie. Explaining she did not expect to win because the Logies were organised by her old employer, the rival Nine network (part of Nine Entertainment which owns this masthead), she proceeded to read the speech she had prepared.

Drumgold stopped her, saying the Director of Public Prosecutions had no power to approve or provide advice on the speech and warned her further publicity around the case could lead to the trial being delayed.

“Notwithstanding that clear and appropriate warning, upon receiving the award, Ms Wilkinson gave a speech in which she openly referred to and praised the complainant in the present trial,” Justice McCallum said.

Ten declined to comment, referring PS to a statement it released earlier in the week: “Network 10 acknowledges the ruling by Chief Justice McCallum and fully supports Lisa Wilkinson. Both Network 10 and Lisa Wilkinson take their legal obligations very seriously, including in the preparation and delivery of her speech given at the Logies event. In light of the continuing proceedings, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”

Lisa Wilkinson on the Logies red carpet before the show.Credit: Getty

Not so former Ten weatherman Tim Bailey, who couldn’t stop commenting and is clearly still smarting over his axing by Ten two years ago.

“Just accept ya F-ing little trophy and F off!” Bailey tweeted on Wednesday, a follow-up to his since-deleted Tweet on Tuesday night in which he called her a “big head”. Former Ten newsreader Ron Wilson also chimed in on Facebook, apparently thinking there had not been enough criticism of Wilkinson saying “the outrage is muted”.

Before long Ten’s news anchor Sandra Sully entered the fray, liking a critical Tweet on the Wilkinson furore from showbiz reporter Peter Ford, and re-igniting reports of a supposed feud between Sully and Wilkinson over a car space at Ten’s Pyrmont studios in 2020.

Sully declined to comment to PS, but has never denied reports Wilkinson parked in a spot she had previously used, much to the newsreader’s annoyance. At one point Ten security staff had placed a traffic cone in the spot to preserve it for Sully, apparently to no avail.

Where there is smoke ...

Was it the ciggies? As news of Jerry Hall and Rupert Murdoch’s six-year marriage coming to an end reverberated around the globe this week, theories on what brought the seemingly happy union to a crashing end have come in thick and fast.

Rupert Murdoch and Jerry Hall leave Kirribilli House after attending a business reception hosted by then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull in 2017.Credit: Christopher Pearce

But one theme which remains constant is Rupert’s disapproval of his fourth wife’s incessant smoking.

It had become quite a spectacle too. Rupert was often spotted waiting as Jerry dragged away. She was noted fagging on in the back of a limousine as she arrived in Melbourne with her billionaire media tycoon hubby a few years back.

News of the marital demise apparently emerged after Jerry was a no show at Rupert’s annual “summer party” held in London’s Serpentine Gallery on Monday night, where the likes of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and most of his cabinet turned up.

Heir apparent Lachlan Murdoch and youngest daughters Grace and Chloe were also reportedly there, but it was the absence of Jerry which resulted in calls being made to The New York Times, which apparently had two sources confirm the split before breaking the news on Thursday (Sydney time).

PS was among the first to report on the seemingly unlikely romance in 2015. The couple had been introduced by Rupert’s niece Penny Fowler in Australia, and went public in October that year putting on a cosy display at the Rugby World Cup final.

Before long she was wearing a 20-carat $4 million “marquise cut” diamond engagement ring and walking down the aisle in London’s pretty Fleet Street church St Brides.

Murdoch and Hall at the Rugby World Cup Final match between New Zealand and Australia at Twickenham Stadium in October 2015.Credit: Getty

The world watched as they pranced about the Caribbean like a couple of love-struck teenagers, dined with good mates Dame Joan Collins and her husband Percy Gibson, and went on a property shopping spree that, at last count, included a couple of ancient mansions in England and a $280 million ranch in Montana.

Ajaka gets a lucky lift

While celebrity Double Bay cosmetic surgeon and Brazilian Butt Lift specialist Joseph Ajaka lost his legal bid to force the Herald’s Adele Ferguson to hand over copies of her investigation before her expose was published, turns out he’s had better luck in the Land and Environment Court over a multi-million-dollar abode he is planning in Bronte.

Not that his soon-to-be neighbours are thrilled about it around the beachside suburb where the doctor and his wife Jamal have been the talk of the street.

An artist’s impression of the proposed new Ajaka home in Bronte.

Work had all but ground to a halt on the site where the Ajakas plan to build what some locals compared to a villa on the Isle of Capri, with its decorative arches and sandstone. Neighbours had raised concerns over Ajaka’s plans, in particular the height of walls and fears the new two-storey home would block the all-important ocean views and sunshine.

Revised plans: Joseph and Jamal Ajaka.Credit: Facebook

Ajaka went to the Land and Environment Court to appeal against Waverley Council’s rejection of his proposal. Following conciliation before the matter went to a hearing, the plans were approved after the parties reached several compromises.

PS hears work has recommenced on Ajaka’s home this week.

Russell a no show

Thwarted senate hopeful, “war hero”, Sky News media commentator, OnlyFans model and former Special Forces commando Heston Russell did not appear at the Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday for his first appearance over a charge of common assault; however, his high-profile lawyer Michael Bowe informed the court his client intended to plead not guilty.

Last month PS revealed Russell had been charged following a five-month police investigation into claims he hit another man during a Sydney rooftop pool party in January.

Russell’s choice of criminal lawyers is an interesting one.

Former special forces commander Heston Russell will plead not guilty to an assault charge.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Bowe has previously – and continues – to represent a long line of newsworthy clients, including disgraced former NSW politician Eddie Obeid, wealthy property developer Ron Medich (behind bars for the murder of his business rival Michael McGurk) and Gordon Wood (who spent more than three years in jail after he was initially convicted in December 2008 of killing his girlfriend Caroline Byrne in 1995). Wood’s conviction was quashed by the Court of Criminal Appeal in February 2012. He then sued the state of NSW for malicious prosecution, however he was unsuccessful.

Last year Bowe also represented Double Bay “eyebrow queen” and socialite Kristin “Rio” Fisher, after police discovered the mother-of-two in the passenger seat of a “dial-a-drug dealer’s” car in Bondi with two bags of cocaine at her feet. She received a six-month conditional release order and avoided conviction on the condition she stays away from illicit drugs for six months.

Meanwhile, Russell is due to face court again in August.

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