A federal court judge has ruled that Bruce Lehrmann can appeal the result of his failed defamation case against Network Ten, avoiding a $200,000 bill.
Justice Wendy Abraham is yet to hand down the reasons for the judgement, having also granted Lehrmann more time to pay $2 million to Network Ten in legal fees.
Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson applied to the court demanding that Lehrmann fork out the large sum to cover the costs of the broadcaster for the appeal to go ahead.
The original defamation case was initiated by Lehrmann against Network Ten and Wilkinson for an episode on The Project. The episode included an interview with Brittany Higgins, ex-political advisor, who alleged she was raped by Lehrmann in Parliament House in 2019.
Lehrmann lost the defamation case as Justice Michael Lee found that on the balance of probabilities, Lehrmann did rape Higgins at Parliament House. However, there was no criminal conviction, with a 2022 case against Lehrmann being aborted due to juror misconduct.
Lehrmann and his lawyer claim these allegations have ruined his reputation and are at fault for his unemployability. Lehrmann currently relies on Centrelink payments for income.
The civil defamation case will cost Network Ten up to $5 million however they only requested Lehrmann pay $2 million.
Lehrmann has been served with a bankruptcy notice over the debt, therefore the court heard last week he was unlikely to pay the $2 million. The requested money was put on ‘stay’ today until the official findings of the appeal case are determined.
“There are no real winners in this litigation,’’ Justice Lee said in response to the defamation’s resolution.
“The result is best characterised as the respondents [Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson] overcoming a misconceived claim in relation to a broadcast because they were able to prove at trial the substantial truth of what the contemporaneous material demonstrates.”
The appeal will see the court in March 2025, though a case management hearing will be held next month.
Photo: Melbourne Federal Court by Adz is available HERE and is in the public domain. This image has not been modified.
