Key events
Justice Michael Lee has begun the hearing by dealing with the side issue of legal costs between Lisa Wilkinson and her employer Network Ten. Wilkinson is suing Ten over a dispute about payment of more than $700,000 in legal costs in the Bruce Lehrmann defamation case.
The Project presenter, who conducted the interview with Brittany Higgins, chose to use a separate legal team to Network Ten to defend the defamation case brought by Lehrmann.
Lee will hear more about the Wilkinson case at the end of the trial, estimated to be 14 December.
Federal court continues to livestream the case
This blog will cover major developments during the day. In the interests of open justice and due to significant public interest, the federal court is livestreaming this case.
You can follow the Bruce Lehrmann defamation trial live stream on YouTube here.
Last week Justice Michael Lee warned if members of the public denigrate the barristers on social media he will reconsider allowing the case to be livestreamed.
Lee heard that court staff were monitoring activity on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Lee said:
I just make it perfectly clear to those observing that abuse of any legal practitioners involved in the case, it won’t be tolerated.
And if the situation becomes one which I consider the benefits of livestreaming are outweighed by the fact that it’s encouraging activity which I regard undermines the integrity of the process then I’ll cease the live stream.
What’s coming up today
The Bruce Lehrmann defamation trial will hear from more witnesses for the defence today in Sydney, including from Parliament House security guards.
The federal court last night released two deeds of settlement with media organisations sued by Lehrmann who settled with the former Liberal staffer before the trial began.
According to the documents, Lehrmann was paid a total of $445,000 towards his legal costs to drop his claim of defamation.
The ABC agreed to pay $150,000 in an out-of-court settlement last month and News Corp settled for $295,000 in May for an article published by news.com.au in 2021.
Read more:
#Bruce #Lehrmann #defamation #trial #live #parliamentary #security #guards #give #evidence #Australian #politics
