‘Recklessly indifferent to truth’: Bruce Lehrmann sues Lisa Wilkinson for damages
Bruce Lehrmann is suing Channel 10 and Lisa Wilkinson for defamation, accusing them of seeking to exploit allegations of sexual assault against him for personal and professional gain.
Former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann is suing Channel 10 and its star Lisa Wilkinson for defamation, accusing them of seeking to exploit allegations of sexual assault against him for personal and professional gain.
Mr Lehrmann, who has consistently denied raping former colleague Brittany Higgins, has launched defamation proceedings against Network Ten and News Life Media Pty Ltd – an arm of News Corp Australia – in Federal Court.
Wilkinson, former co-host of The Project, and Samantha Maiden, political editor for news.com.au, are understood to be second respondents in proceedings.
Mr Lehrmann further claims Wilkinson and Network Ten were “recklessly indifferent to the truth or falsity” when they alleged he raped Ms Higgins on the couch in the ministerial office of then defence industry minister Linda Reynolds in the early hours of March 23, 2019.
The statement of claims references Ms Higgins’ evidence from the aborted trial against Mr Lehrmann before the ACT Supreme Court when the former staffer said Maiden and Wilkinson had fought for the exclusive publication of her alleged story.
The statements of claim said it could be inferred that Wilkinson “was seeking to exploit the false allegations of sexual assault as made by Ms Higgins for her own personal and professional gain”.
Mr Lehrmann further claims that Wilkinson and Network Ten were “recklessly indifferent to the truth or falsity of the imputations.”
Brittany Higgins took to Twitter on Wednesday to repost a tweet she had published on December 7, with the words “A timely reminder”.
The December tweet read: “Following recent developments, I feel the need to make it clear if required I am willing to defend the truth as a witness in any potential civil cases brought about by Mr Lehrmann.”
A timely reminder. https://t.co/BBT6EhXJHc
— Brittany Higgins (@BrittHiggins_) February 7, 2023
Mr Lehrmann is being represented by defamation specialists Mark O’Brien Legal. It is understood defamation expert Matthew Richardson SC and barrister Steven Whybrow SC, who represented Mr Lehrmann during the trial, have been retained to run matters together.
The Project and news.com.au published Ms Higgins’ allegations in broadcasts and online stories on February 15 in 2021. The original reports did not name Mr Lehrmann. The former staffer is claiming he was easily identified by a description as a senior staffer in Senator Reynold’s office.
“By reason of publication of the matters complained of, the applicant has been greatly injured in his personal and professional reputation and has been and will be brought into public disrepute, odium, ridicule and contempt.”
Ms Higgins alleged Mr Lehrmann raped her on a couch in Senator Reynolds’s office in the early hours of March 23, 2019, after a night out.
The high-profile trial was aborted in October 2022 due to juror misconduct.
Mr Lehrmann pleaded not guilty at his trial and has at all times denied the allegations.
The DPP has now withdrawn the charges, with ACT director of public prosecutions Shane Drumgold citing concern for Ms Higgins’s mental health.
The Australian approached Network Ten and Wilkinson for comment.
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