Key Factors
- Ex-producer Taylor Auerbach has concluded testifying about Bruce Lehrmann in a defamation trial.
- Auerbach informed the court docket Lehrmann stated that he would solely get entry to confidential paperwork “once you signal me”.
- Seven has broadly denied allegations made by Auerbach in court docket.
This text accommodates references to sexual assault.
Bruce Lehrmann’s “honesty and integrity” have been known as into query following allegations he leaked Brittany Higgins’ textual content messages to the media.
The allegations got here from former Seven Community producer Taylor Auerbach, who appeared this week in Lehrmann’s defamation swimsuit in opposition to Community Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson.
Lehrmann, a former political staffer, is suing Community Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson over a 2021 interview, throughout which Higgins alleged she had been raped in Parliament Home in 2019.
Lehrmann was not named within the interview, however he alleges he was identifiable and that the interview defamed him.
Auerbach additionally informed the court docket he was tasked with babysitting Lehrmann to safe a confidential interview for Seven’s present affairs program Highlight.
Throughout that interval, Auerbach alleges he witnessed Lehrmann shopping for cocaine and ordering intercourse employees to a Sydney lodge which was paid for by Seven.
He stated discussions occurred round Lehrmann being paid within the order of $200,000 to seem within the unique, tell-all interview to reply to allegations he raped Higgins in Parliament Home.
Lehrmann says there was no sexual exercise between the pair.
Lawyer for Community Ten, Matthew Collins KC, informed the Federal Courtroom on Friday the one means Higgins’ textual content messages may have come into Auerbach’s possession was if Lehrmann shared them, which he denies.
The messages got here from police paperwork, compiled previous to Lehrmann’s prison trial, to which he and few others allegedly had entry.
Collins described Lehrmann having leaked the messages because the “apparent clarification” as to how they reached Auerbach.
“The conduct, we submit, that is been uncovered earlier than Your Honour over the past day and a half or so, goes to the core of Mr Lehrmann’s honesty and integrity,” Collins informed the court docket.
Lehrmann’s 2022 prison trial within the ACT was derailed on account of juror misconduct, with prosecutors dropping the costs in opposition to him over fears for Higgins’ psychological well being.
Lehrmann has additionally denied offering Seven with any data for the Highlight program, in addition to his interview.
Seven has additionally broadly denied Auerbach’s allegations, labelling them “false and deceptive” and including that it didn’t reveal journalists’ sources.
Auerbach informed the Federal Courtroom on Friday he met Lehrmann’s consultant John MacGowan in October 2022, to debate the interview.
“I used to be in Canberra for the prison trial between Mr Lehrmann and Ms Higgins,” the previous TV producer stated.
“We talked about the truth that Mr Lehrmann had many authorized charges and wanted to be compensated.”
Moderately than pay Lehrmann straight, they mentioned paying the cash right into a belief below a special title, the court docket was informed.
Auerbach stated in agreeing to the interview two days later, Lehrmann informed him he was glad the producer “wasn’t sitting with the remainder of the feminazis within the press pack”.
Seven additionally paid for costly dinners, inns, massages and a golf journey for Lehrmann, in addition to renting him a home in Sydney’s Randwick, in response to an affidavit from Auerbach.
A $750 bill paid by Seven was understood by Auerbach to cowl “Mr Lehrmann’s expenditure on cocaine and prostitutes”.
“He indicated to me he wanted to replenish his checking account after the bender,” the ex-Seven producer informed the court docket.
Since Lehrmann was not an worker of Seven, the fee was listed below “pre-production bills” moderately than “per diem” as was beforehand mentioned, the court docket was informed.
“We needed to provide you with one other class that finance would enable,” Auerbach stated.
In an affidavit, Auerbach stated he was additionally despatched messages between Higgins and a former boyfriend, and later messages between her and journalist Peter Fitzsimmons, which made up a part of the confidential police file.
Auerbach stated he was despatched pictures of a doc on a laptop computer exhibiting screenshots of textual content messages between the pair.
He claimed the pictures have been taken by Highlight govt producer Mark Llewellyn, whose picture he claimed to recognise mirrored on the laptop computer display.
Auerbach informed the court docket that in a dinner at Sydney restaurant Spice Temple in March 2023, Llewellyn requested Lehrmann if he had paperwork for the prison proceedings, to which he replied that he did.
Auerbach went on to allege that Lehrmann made copies of a few of an estimated 500 pages of double-sided paperwork from the prison case at Seven’s workplace at Eveleigh.
“I considered a number of the paperwork that have been being copied and will see that they have been reveals from the applicant’s prison proceedings,” Auerbach stated in his affidavit.
“I noticed, by means of instance, Ms Higgins’ textual content messages.”
In keeping with Auerbach, Lehrmann informed him on numerous events that night he would solely get entry to the paperwork “once you signal me”.
If this story has raised any points for you, assist is obtainable at Lifeline on 13 11 14.
When you or somebody needs to speak about sexual assault or harassment, household or home violence, name 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or go to www.1800RESPECT.org.au
In an emergency, name 000.