Matthew Richardson

ABC and Network Ten are “very concerned” that Parliament House claims to not have CCTV footage from the night former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann allegedly raped Brittany Higgins, and have flagged an application to question a government officer over the claim.

The office of the special investigator wants access to evidence in Ben Roberts-Smith’s failed defamation case, a court has heard, while Fairfax says it needs to see invoices from Herbert Smith Freehills to the soldier’s financial backer, Seven chairman Kerry Stokes, in its bid for costs.

The Australian Federal Police will investigate concerns that restricted material produced during the criminal trial of accused rapist Bruce Lehrmann was leaked to select media outlets.

Ten has failed in a push to question Bruce Lehrmann on whether he leaked restricted material produced during the accused rapist’s criminal trial to select media, as it defends itself against his defamation case, with a judge saying the network was “fishing”.

A judge has published his reasons for tossing Ben Roberts-Smith’s defamation lawsuits over publications accusing him of war crimes, saying the former SAS corporal was not “honest and reliable”.

The ABC acted with malice when it aired Brittany Higgins’ defamatory National Press Club speech in full, and the broadcaster’s public interest defence won’t save it, accused rapist Bruce Lehrmann has said.

Former SAS corporal Ben Roberts-Smith has lost his defamation case against Nine-owned Fairfax, with a judge finding Thursday it was true that Australia’s most decorated soldier committed civilian murders in Afghanistan.

Accused rapist Bruce Lehrmann has discontinued his case alleging News Corp and journalist Samantha Maiden defamed him with the publication of two articles on the alleged assault of Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins.

The judge overseeing defamation cases brought by accused war criminal Ben Roberts-Smith will deliver his long-awaited findings next week, ruling on whether allegations of civilian murder in Afghanistan against the country’s most decorated living soldier are substantially true.

Former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann has accused the Australian Broadcasting Corporation of a “contemptuous attempt” to prejudice the jury in a criminal trial over his alleged rape of former colleague Brittany Higgins in Parliament House.