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- Watch the hearing live here from 10.15am (AEDT)
High-profile journalist Lisa Wilkinson will give evidence on Thursday in Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation case after the Federal Court released key text messages about her interview with Brittany Higgins and an email to her from Higgins’ partner.
The former presenter on Ten’s The Project is defending a defamation action brought against her and Network Ten over an interview with Higgins aired on February 15, 2021.
Lisa Wilkinson leaves the Federal Court on Wednesday.Credit: Steven Siewart
Lehrmann alleges the broadcast defamed him by suggesting he was guilty of raping Higgins in Parliament House in March 2019 in the office of Liberal senator and then defence industry minister Linda Reynolds, for whom they worked as advisers. He has always maintained his innocence.
The email from Higgins’ partner
The Federal Court released an email on Wednesday, tendered in court, showing Higgins’ now-fiance David Sharaz emailed Wilkinson in early 2021 and said: “Thank you for your time over the phone today, and your sensitivity around what I truly feel is an injustice.
Email from Brittany Higgins’ partner David Sharaz to Lisa Wilkinson in 2021.Credit: Federal Court of Australia
“I’m sending this on behalf of Britt, purely because, and this sounds paranoid, we just don’t know who might be keeping a close eye on her.
“As discussed, we’re happy for you to send this to your producer (and thank you for speaking to your EP for us). Brittany really needs to be out of the Parliament House when both the story breaks, and the police report is relaunched.
She’s also happy to come to Sydney. In addition to this I’ve gone and looked up the ACT Policing crime slats for 2019 and there was one reported sexual assault during the time Britt’s incident occurred, You can always chat to me over the phone if you need more, and I can put Britt on. Thanks again, David Sharaz”.
Wilkinson’s texts
In an affidavit filed in court, The Project’s producer Angus Llewellyn said he received a message from Wilkinson on January 19, 2021, which said: “I have an explosive political story for Sunday Project … we’re going huge with it.”
She urged Llewellyn to “call me when you can”.
Llewellyn, who was then on leave, responded on January 20 that year: “Hi Lisa Sounds intriguing! … can jump on it from Friday if needed?”
Wilkinson replied: “It is an extraordinary coverup … The woman at the centre of it all is ready to talk. She is based in Canberra. We can fly her up. Would you be good for a meeting with her on Monday?”
Lehrmann not named
Lehrmann was not named in Ten’s interview and a preliminary issue in the case is whether he was identified via other means.
Lehrmann’s barrister, Matthew Richardson, SC, put to Llewellyn on Wednesday that Ten deliberately put in enough detail to identify Lehrmann. “Completely false,” Llewellyn said.
If the court finds Lehrmann was identified in the interview, Ten and Wilkinson are seeking to rely on defences of truth and qualified privilege. Qualified privilege relates to publications of public interest and requires a media outlet to show it acted reasonably. The evidence of Llewellyn and Wilkinson is directly relevant to that defence.
Sexual assault charge dropped
Lehrmann’s ACT Supreme Court trial for sexual assault was aborted last year due to juror misconduct. The charge against Lehrmann was later dropped altogether owing to concerns about Higgins’ mental health.
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