Bruce Lehrmann’s denial about his involvement in a drunken night at the apartment of a former Channel Seven producer with two Thai masseuses has sparked a defamation threat against the former Liberal staffer.
On Wednesday, Taylor Auerbach, 32, a former producer on Seven’s Spotlight program, sent a concerns notice, the first step in defamation proceedings, to Lehrmann, 28.
Taylor Auerbach and Bruce Lehrmann.Credit: James Brickwood
Auerbach is claiming that he has been defamed by Lehrmann, who issued a press release effectively calling the former producer a liar after stories about the night in question emerged last week.
The recent flurry of colourful stories has been prompted by the controversial appointment of Auerbach’s former boss at Spotlight, Steve Jackson, to the role of media manager for NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb. On Thursday afternoon, NSW Police tore up the contract appointing Jackson.
Last week, news.com.au’s Samantha Maiden, while not naming Auerbach, reported that “two Thai masseuses were booked – one for Mr Lehrmann and another for a Seven employee” in the early hours of Saturday, November 26, 2022.
At the time, Seven was trying to secure an exclusive interview with Lehrmann, whose criminal trial for the alleged rape of Brittany Higgins had collapsed due to juror misconduct. Lehrmann has always maintained his innocence.
Steve Jackson, who had been appointed to be the new executive director of public affairs for NSW Police.Credit: Instagram
The total cost of the Thai masseuses – almost $3000 – was put on a Seven corporate credit card.
Earlier that night, Spotlight executive producer Mark Llewellyn, Auerbach, Lehrmann and Lehrmann’s then-friend former Liberal political strategist John Macgowan had dined at a restaurant in Paddington in inner Sydney.
The following day, Jackson, Spotlight’s chief of staff, who was not present on the night, suggested Auerbach ask the Thai providers to reverse the transactions, which did not comply with Seven’s expenses policy.
‘The press statement is likely to devastate Mr Auerbach’s professional reputation.’
Concerns notice sent on behalf of Taylor Auerbach.
Jackson texted Auerbach with a Google translation in Thai for “I’ll pay you cash instead”. Jackson also suggested offering $250 cash as an incentive to reverse the transaction.
Lehrmann issued a statement saying that he was in Sydney with the staffer on the night but he denied using the services of the Thai women.
“It’s an untrue and bizarre story from a disgruntled ex-Network Seven producer,” Lehrmann told News Corp. “Network Seven [has] only ever covered reasonable travel for filming and accommodation.”
Auerbach’s solicitor, Rebekah Giles, said in the concerns notice: “We are instructed these comments are false.
“The press statement is likely to devastate Mr Auerbach’s professional reputation,” Giles said.
She said Lehrmann’s press statement conveyed a defamatory imputation that “Taylor Auerbach lied to the press about Bruce Lehrmann being bought a massage by a Seven Network employee”.
She also stated that on March 22, 2024, the day after Lehrmann’s public denials, Sky News Australia terminated Auerbach’s employment as an investigations producer.
On Monday, Auerbach rejected Lehrmann’s denial in a bizarre two-minute press conference in a park near his Elizabeth Bay apartment.
The former producer is now seeking an apology from Lehrmann plus the payment of his legal costs.
Lehrmann’s claim that Seven only ever covered reasonable travel for filming and accommodation may come under further scrutiny.
Multiple sources, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told this masthead that the network “really wanted that story” and paid thousands of dollars for flights, food and accommodation for Lehrmann, including later sending Auerbach to Tasmania for an expensive golf weekend with Lehrmann, a keen golfer.
“Let’s light some fires,” said Lehrmann when his “bombshell” interview was finally aired in June 2023. Auerbach, who left Spotlight in August 2023, was not included in Jackson and Llewellyn’s later entry for the Scoop of the Year in the 2023 Walkley Awards.
When the Walkleys expressed concern to Jackson and Llewellyn about whether they had met the media code of ethics about the Lehrmann interview, an outraged Jackson replied: “Spotlight would like to formally register our disappointment” and that “ALL MATERIAL was obtained fairly, responsibly and honestly.”
The pair claimed they had declared any payments or benefits provided to third parties, and that “neither Lehrmann nor anyone connected to him received any payment whatsoever for the interview”, although they admitted to covering the accommodation during production.
Spotlight was stripped of its status as a Walkley finalist after the truth was exposed in December 2023, when documents tendered in Lehrmann’s defamation trial against journalist Lisa Wilkinson and Channel Ten showed that Seven had agreed to pay Lehrmann’s rent for a year from April 2023, estimated to be worth more than $100,000.
Next week, judgment will be delivered in the high-profile defamation case stemming from Wilkinson’s 2021 interview in which Higgins alleged she’d been raped at Parliament House two years earlier.
While not named in the interview, Lehrmann claimed he was defamed as he was identifiable.
Lehrmann is facing unrelated rape charges over an alleged incident with a Toowoomba woman in October 2021. He has not been committed for trial and has indicated he intends to plead not guilty.
Lehrmann was approached for comment.
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