Nicholas Olson

A judge presiding over a defamation case by Bruce Lehrmann on Thursday asked lawyers for the Seven Network to explain why it had taken eight months to hand over communications with the accused rapist in answer to a subpoena by Ten. 

Network Ten has won a bid to reopen its defence in a defamation case brought by Bruce Lehrmann, just two days before a judge was set to deliver his decision, after a former producer at Seven claimed the accused rapist lied about leaking thousands of pages of text messages between Brittany Higgins and her former partner. 

Author Peter FitzSimons is seeking costs from Bruce Lehrmann for complying with a subpoena in the former Liberal staffer’s defamation case against Network Ten and FitzSimons’ wife Lisa Wilkinson over the network’s airing of allegations that Lehrmann raped ex-colleague Brittany Higgins.

Did Bruce Lehrmann rape colleague Brittany Higgins in Parliament House in 2019? That is the primary question in the case to be decided by the Federal Court early next month, and the credibility of the two principal protagonists is central to answering that question.

A judge preparing to deliver his decision in Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation case against Ten has sought clarity from the TV network on submissions addressing alleged inconsistencies in Brittany Higgins’ settlement deed with the Commonwealth, querying whether the alleged rape victim should be recalled to the stand.

The court might find Bruce Lehrmann’s story implausible, but that doesn’t mean Brittany Higgins’ alleged rape is the only possible alternative to what happened in Parliament House five years ago, Lehrmann’s lawyers have told a court.

A judge has ordered Seven Network to pay $35,000 to a man who said he was defamed by the broadcaster, finding that he “spat towards” but not at the alleged rape victim of rugby league footballer Jarryd Hayne. 

A nose job patient who allegedly defamed his surgeon has been slugged with $50,000 in security for his appeal, on top of a $50,000 damages bill that a judge said the surgeon is unlikely to see.

A Network Ten executive received an angry phone call from former prime minister Scott Morrison’s chief media advisor after claims about the Liberal Party’s handling of Brittany Higgins’ alleged sexual assault were aired on The Project, new court documents reveal.

Lawyers for accused rapist Bruce Lehrmann have conceded his evidence on several issues was “lacking credibility”, but say the court should not find him a “compulsive liar” as argued by Network Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson in defending his defamation case.