It's a Circus & a gift that keeps on giving ! Begs the question Whom is underwriting whom ? ( & to what end ? )
Image Unavailable, Please Login Under theNews Corpsettlement, also released by the Federal Court on Wednesday, News Life Media agreed to pay Lehrmann $295,000 as a contribution towards his legal costs. “Without admission of liability, the parties have reached a commercial resolution of the claim,” the deed says.6 days ago Bruce Lehrmann defamation trial: News Corp, ABC paid total... Image Unavailable, Please Login Sydney Morning Herald https://www.smh.com.au › National › NSW › Defamation
https://www.crikey.com.au/2023/12/07/bruce-lehrmann-media-payouts-500k/ Crikey Worm Bruce Lehrmann’s media payouts: $500k+ Bruce Lehrmann raked in more than half a million dollars from media organisations, and Simon Birmingham, opposition foreign affairs spokesman, will lead a group of cross-party MPs to Israel next week. EMMA ELSWORTHY DEC 07, 2023 Share Image Unavailable, Please Login FORMER LIBERAL STAFFER BRUCE LEHRMANN (IMAGE: AAP/DEAN LEWINS) CASH ON DELIVERY News Corp gave former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann $295,000 to end his defamation suit, Guardian Australia reports, meaning he’s made more than half a million dollars from media over a since-dropped rape charge, whether by settlement (ABC paid him $150,000, as the SMH ($) says) or by accommodation costs (Seven paid $104,000 for his northern beaches unit’s rent for an interview as Yahoo adds). Lehrmann was not named in the news.com.au story, nor in the ABC’s stream of Brittany Higgins’ National Press Club speech and nor on The Project. He has always denied her allegations and the case was discontinued out of fear for Higgins’ health. Meanwhile former Liberal minister Linda Reynolds — who was once accused of calling Higgins “a lying cow” — has complained to the National Anti-Corruption Commission about Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus’ handling of Higgins’ compensation payout ($2.3 million less lawyers fees etc, bringing it to $1.9 million), The Australian ($) reports. As your Worm reported yesterday, three-quarters of complaints are thrown out. Meanwhile a former Department of Defence staffer said Higgins and Lehrmann were kissing at the nightclub before departing for Parliament House, the ABC reports, which flies in the face of his under-oath claim he had no physical contact with her. The court also heard he’d assisted Higgins at the pub after she fell over, and took her phone away in an apparent playful bid to stop her booking a ride home.
The Network Ten journalist ascended to the witness box on Thursday to give evidence in her defence against a lawsuit brought by former Liberal party staffer Bruce Lehrmann, who claims he was defamed in a story that alleged he raped his junior colleague Brittany Higgins. He denies the allegation. Wilkinson wore a bellini-coloured suit. Lehrmann promoted himself from his usual seat at the front of the public gallery to the chair beside his solicitor. But with her affidavit taken as read, Wilkinson immediately found herself under cross-examination, beginning with an interrogation of the Logies acceptance speech she gave a week before Lehrmann’s criminal trial last year. The trial was subsequently delayed. Within half an hour, Lehrmann’s barrister Matthew Richardson, SC, had moved for the jugular: “I want to suggest to you that you put pride and ego ahead of my client’s right to a fair trial when you gave that speech?” “I completely disagree,” Wilkinson replied. If Justice Lee finds the allegation that Lehrmann raped Higgins was proved on the balance of probabilities, then Ten wins. But if he does not, Ten is relying on a fallback defence of qualified privilege, a defence that requires the network to prove it acted reasonably in publishing a matter of public interest. SMH 15/12/23
Probably behind a paywall, unfortunately, but anyway this is disturbing stuff. https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/legal-affairs/lazy-and-perhaps-politically-expedient-judge-lashes-dpp-over-rape-cases/news-story/8c454efed19ee3c552f94583cd774e52
https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/brittany-higgins-leaves-australia-to-start-a-new-life-in-france/news-story/0913844e901ea019796d122618e665eb ..and good riddance. Don’t come back. Please ask Lisa and her husband to join you.
Unfortunately she has the last laugh. $2.4m from Australian taxpayers, plus the Labor "Emily's list" ladies to ensure a lifetime of work in UN and Govt agencies. All because she served a political purpose for a short while, with a story that looks less and less believable by the day. The only comfort I take is that she'll likely have a miserable time trying to live in France, where the locals won't accept her and every aspect of daily life involves a battle with stifling bureaucracy.
It's of interest to many following the "FED case" the history of her current partner and his STROBG ties with the ALP and of course the "hired " minder that was with her every day throughout the matter! Google will reveal the Minders contract work, Andrews Govt, and Gillard as two .............Umm interesting.
