Lisa Wilkinson has staunchly defended her address delivered at the 2022 Logie Awards.
The speech was pivotal in the postponement of Bruce Lehrmann‘s trial, where he faced allegations of raping Brittany Higgins.
Wilkinson, testifying in the Federal Court, is being sued by Lehrmann following her 2021 interview with Higgins on The Project. Lehrmann is also pursuing legal action against Wilkinson‘s employer, Network Ten.
The interview, which took place on The Project in 2021, featured Higgins alleging a 2019 rape incident at Parliament House. Lehrmann, though not directly named in the coverage, asserts he was identifiable and has thus filed a defamation lawsuit against both Network Ten and Wilkinson.
The initial criminal trial against the former Liberal staffer in the ACT Supreme Court was halted last year due to juror misconduct, leaving Lehrmann without any legal findings against him. Wilkinson‘s speech at the Logie Awards, where The Project was honored for this very interview, occurred just eight days before Lehrmann‘s trial was set to start. The defense argued that the publicity from her speech warranted a trial delay.
This Thursday, the Federal Court revisited the speech, marking the second airing since Lehrmann‘s defamation case commenced. Matthew Richardson, Lehrmann‘s barrister, proposed that the speech implied Wilkinson “absolutely 100 per cent” believed in Higgins‘s allegations.
Richardson remarked, “That is the obvious interpretation of anyone listening.” In response, Wilkinson stated, “That isn’t what I said in that speech.” She humorously added, “If you can be in the minds of the entire nation, that is a superpower I don’t possess.“
However, Wilkinson did acknowledge that referring to someone’s “unwavering courage,” as she did for Higgins, would be unlikely if the allegation was false.
She disagreed with Richardson‘s assertion that her decision to make the speech was “reckless and ill-advised,” noting that she had consulted before taking the stage. Her discussions with Shane Drumgold, ACT’s former top prosecutor, were mentioned, though their recollections about whether Wilkinson was advised against making the speech differ.
Wilkinson also disclosed her lack of specific training in contempt of court over her forty-year media career. She refuted Richardson‘s implication of being a “cheap, tabloid journalist,” responding, “Please don’t make me sound like a cheap, tabloid journalist, Mr Richardson.” Yet, she admitted that the episode’s team did aim to suggest a rape occurrence and believed in efforts within the Liberal Party to suppress the story. “I believe there was a lot of damage control going on within the prime minister’s office to keep this thing under wraps,” she testified.
Wilkinson further stated she was not responsible for verifying details from Higgins before the program aired. These included discrepancies in Higgins‘s claims about her phone data. Communication with Higgins was limited to one producer, Angus Llewellyn, as per senior management’s decision. Wilkinson had raised concerns about the phone issue, which she was informed had been resolved, rendering it a “non-issue” by air time.
Richardson suggested Wilkinson unquestioningly accepted Higgins‘ allegations, which Wilkinson denied. Angus Llewellyn, Network Ten producer, also defended his actions during his two-day cross-examination, refuting suggestions of overlooking contradictions in Higgins‘ interview and his attempts to contact relevant individuals, including Lehrmann.
Wilkinson and Network Ten are employing the defense of qualified privilege in Lehrmann‘s defamation lawsuit. Network Ten is also attempting to establish the truthfulness of their reporting, asserting that Lehrmann did indeed rape Higgins in Parliament House in 2019. Lehrmann consistently denies these allegations.
The trial, initially set to conclude this week, is now expected to extend into the week preceding Christmas, with Wilkinson‘s cross-examination likely concluding on Friday.
