Category Archives: Australian Capital Territory (ACT)

Bruce Lehrmann defamation trial live updates: judge asks Ten lawyer why ‘sordid’ evidence is relevant to case findings – latest news

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Lehrmann’s defamation trial against Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson has reopened to hear evidence from the former Spotlight producer. Follow the latest news and updates from the federal court of Australia today

There has been a big document dump on the federal court’s website this morning, with 17 exhibits and affidavits relating to yesterday’s evidence uploaded to the site.

These include screenshots of text messages between Auerbach and Steve Jackson during the night of the alleged “bender” in January 2023, during which Auerbach says Lehrmann bought cocaine and ordered the services of sex workers. Auerbach told the court on Thursday that the drugs and sex workers were paid for by Lehrmann, who was then reimbursed by Channel Seven as “per diem” charges.

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Bruce Lehrmann defamation trial live updates: judge to hear fresh evidence from Taylor Auerbach after Channel Ten wins last-minute bid – latest news

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Lehrmann is suing Channel Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson in the federal court of Australia for defamation. Follow the latest news and updates from today

Judge asks for documents relating to Taylor Auerbach’s departure from Seven

Justice Lee has asked Taylor Auerbach’s solicitor to produce as many documents as possible that relate to the producer’s departure from Seven last year by this afternoon.

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Bruce Lehrmann defamation trial: Channel Ten wins bid to present fresh evidence

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Justice Michael Lee has reopened high-profile case to allow fresh evidence from former Seven producer Taylor Auerbach

Justice Michael Lee will allow Channel Ten to present additional evidence in its defence of the defamation case brought by Bruce Lehrmann, delaying the judgment until next week.

The case will be reopened and the evidence of a new witness, former Seven producer Taylor Auerbach, will now be tested on Thursday, the day the judgment was to have been handed down.

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ACT police take aim at ‘moron tourism’ for bad behaviour at Summernats

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Senior officer says ‘pest’ drivers and not ‘real’ car enthusiasts were causing problems during festival in Canberra

A group of “morons” who would fail to enter the ACT if there were IQ requirements at the border are to blame for bad behaviour at one of Australia’s premier car festivals, a senior police officer has said.

ACT Policing seized 13 cars, including a Holden Commodore for doing a burnout metres from pedestrians, during this year’s Summernats festival in Canberra.

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New Year’s Eve fireworks in Australia: ‘your cracker night could end in hospital’, authorities warn

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Illegal use of fireworks can lead to thousands of dollars in fines and even jail. Here are the rules around the country

Hefty fines and even jail time are on the cards for those who set off illegal fireworks this New Year’s Eve.

People right across the country used to partake in the annual “cracker night” festival, setting off fireworks in their backyards, but most states and territories began banning this practice in the 1980s.

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Brittany Higgins told ‘complete falsehoods’ amid ‘political hit job’, Bruce Lehrmann’s lawyers say as defamation trial ends

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Judge concludes case and reserves his decision after more than four weeks of evidence

Bruce Lehrmann’s lawyers have argued on the final day of his high-profile defamation trial that Brittany Higgins told “complete falsehoods” and her allegations were part of a “political hit job” fuelled by her partner.

Justice Michael Lee on Friday concluded the case and reserved his decision after more than four weeks of evidence and submissions.

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Man charged with murder after woman found dead at National zoo in Canberra

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The 29-year-old co-worker was refused bail after a woman was found dead with stab wounds on Monday

A man accused of stabbing his female co-worker to death at a Canberra zoo has been charged.

During a bedside hearing, the 29-year-old zoo worker was charged with one count of murder and refused bail.

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In Australia, support is available at Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, Lifeline on 13 11 14, and at MensLine on 1300 789 978. In the UK, the charity Mind is available on 0300 123 3393 and Childline on 0800 1111. In the US, call or text Mental Health America at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

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2023 the deadliest year on Australia’s roads in more than half a decade, data shows

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Peak motoring body demands end to governments’ data secrecy as road death toll reaches 1,253

This year was the deadliest on Australia’s roads in five and a half years, with the road death toll reaching 1,253 – the highest since 1,270 people were killed in the 12 months to March 2018, according to the nation’s peak motoring body.

Upon releasing the data, the Australian Automobile Association accused governments of kicking road safety “down the road” after federal, state and territory transport ministers met a fortnight ago to discuss their next five-year partnership on road infrastructure projects but failed to make progress on data transparency when it comes to road deaths.

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Lisa Wilkinson tells court she was ‘largely out of the picture’ in lead up to Brittany Higgins broadcast

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Bruce Lehrmann defamation trial also hears Wilkinson didn’t receive detailed summary of producer’s call with prime minister’s office

Lisa Wilkinson says she was “largely out of the picture” in the days leading up to the broadcast of The Project’s interview with Brittany Higgins in 2021, a federal court has heard.

Wilkinson and Ten are co-respondents in a defamation trial brought by Bruce Lehrmann who says he was defamed by a rape allegation made by Higgins on Ten’s The Project. Lehrmann was not named but says he was identifiable.

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Lisa Wilkinson rejects idea she put ‘pride and ego’ before Bruce Lehrmann’s right to a fair trial

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Broadcaster also hits back during defamation trial at suggestion she was ‘captured’ by Brittany Higgins and had no desire to ‘check or scrutinise anything she said’

Lisa Wilkinson has hit back at suggestions she behaved “like a cheap tabloid journalist” in her handling of Brittany Higgins’ rape allegations, saying her team investigated the story “extremely well”.

The broadcaster’s much-anticipated evidence began on Thursday in the federal court, where she is facing lengthy cross-examination by Bruce Lehrmann’s legal team.

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Bruce Lehrmann seeks ‘secret’ Sky News recordings of Brittany Higgins’ lawyer and fiance talking in Sydney bar

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Recordings of Leon Zwier and others reportedly revealed lawyer discussing how Higgins could respond to cross examination in defamation trial. Zwier has denied coaching his client through her fiance

So-called “secret” recordings of Brittany Higgins’ lawyer speaking to Higgins’ fiance David Sharaz at a Sydney bar while she faced cross-examination are being sought by Bruce Lehrmann as he sues for defamation.

The recordings were taken of Leon Zwier and others at the Park Hyatt Lobby Bar on December 4 and reportedly revealed the lawyer discussing how Higgins’ could respond to questions in cross-examination.

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Sydney bakes in 43C temperatures and heatwave conditions; southerly change expected from 6pm – as it happened

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This blog is now closed

‘Climate change a threat to people’s health as well as to our environment,’ Albanese says amid heatwave

Speaking at a press conference in Sydney, prime minister Anthony Albanese said the current heatwave is “a reminder that there just might be something in this climate change stuff”.

We have experienced 2023 as the hottest year on record. We continue to break these records, and that’s why my government’s determined to act on climate change.

Today, with the high heat levels, I do say that it’s a time to ensure that we look after each other and stay safe.

We need to have our migration levels brought to a sustainable level and we will be releasing details of that this week.

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Bruce Lehrmann had ‘bad vibes’ and wasn’t someone former colleague wanted to spend time with, court hears

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Nikita Irvine also says Brittany Higgins seemed ‘sad’ and told her about alleged assault in Parliament House

Bruce Lehrmann’s former colleague, an aide-de-camp for the senator Linda Reynolds, has told the federal court she had “bad vibes” about him based on her “women’s intuition”.

The army major, Nikita Irvine, also said she discussed Brittany Higgins’ allegation of sexual assault against Lehrmann with both Reynolds and her chief of staff, Fiona Brown.

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News Corp agreed to pay Bruce Lehrmann $295,000 to settle defamation claim, court documents reveal

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Payment revealed after ABC agreed to pay him $150,000 and remove Facebook video of Brittany Higgins and Grace Tame speech at National Press Club

News Corp agreed to pay Bruce Lehrmann $295,000 to drop a defamation suit he brought against a news.com article in which Brittany Higgins alleged she had been raped by a Liberal staffer in Parliament House, according to documents filed in the federal court.

The News Corp financial settlement brings to $445,000 the total amount Lehrmann has received towards his legal costs after the ABC agreed to pay $150,000 in an out-of-court settlement last month.

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Brittany Higgins volunteered to be defamation trial witness as she ‘would not let rapist become a millionaire’, court hears

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Higgins also tells court she had ‘no issue’ with a second criminal trial but it was ruled out by her medical condition

Brittany Higgins has told the federal court she volunteered to give evidence in any defamation case brought by her alleged rapist Bruce Lehrmann because she “would not let my rapist become a millionaire for being a rapist”.

On her final day in the witness box Higgins was asked by Lehrmann’s barrister, Steve Whybrow SC, why she posted on social media about defending any defamation cases six days after it was announced charges against Lehrmann had been dropped due to fears about her mental health.

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Channel Seven paid $4,000 a fortnight in rent for Bruce Lehrmann interview, documents reveal

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Document uploaded by the federal court suggests former Liberal staffer’s deal with the network may be worth $104,000

Channel Seven paid Bruce Lehrmann’s fortnightly rent of $4,000 for a period in June for exclusive access to the former Liberal staffer, according to documents uploaded by the federal court.

Seven agreed in a separate exclusivity document, which was also uploaded on Tuesday, to pay Lehrmann’s rent for 12 months in return for exclusive access to him from mid-2023 to mid-2024.

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Brittany Higgins takes stand in Bruce Lehrmann defamation trial as lawyer warns her evidence will be ‘graphic and distressing’

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Court also told Seven Network paid Lehrmann’s rent for 12 months to compensate him for two interviews with the Spotlight program

Brittany Higgins has taken the stand in Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation trial against Network Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson at the start of evidence the defence says will be “graphic and distressing”.

Network Ten’s barrister, Matt Collins KC, said Higgins will tell the court about being allegedly sexually assaulted by Lehrmann in senator Linda Reynolds’ office in 2019 after a night when she had consumed at least 12 vodkas and was “more drunk than she had ever been in her life”.

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Bruce Lehrmann admits in court asking for cocaine on evening Brittany Higgins interview aired and lying twice to boss

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Former Liberal staffer’s varying accounts in wake of after-hours visit to Parliament House in 2019 come under intense scrutiny under cross examination at defamation trial

Bruce Lehrmann has admitted under cross-examination in his defamation trial that he lied twice in a letter to his boss and again in an interview he gave to Seven’s Spotlight program.

On the fourth day of proceedings he brought against the Ten Network and Lisa Wilkinson, Lehrmann’s varying accounts of what happened in the wake of his after-hours visit to Parliament House in 2019 came under intense scrutiny.

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Bruce Lehrmann tells court he did not have sex with Brittany Higgins while she was ‘semi-conscious or passed out’

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At defamation trial against Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson, Lehrmann says two later emails he sent Higgins failed to mention evening because it was ‘uneventful’

Bruce Lehrmann has denied during his defamation trial having sexual intercourse with Brittany Higgins while she was “semi-conscious or passed out” on a couch in Parliament House.

At Lehrmann’s civil case against Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson, Matt Collins KC for Ten put a series of propositions to him about what happened between 1.48am and 2.30am on 23 March 2019.

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Lies, whisky and an after-hours visit: Bruce Lehrmann admits he didn’t tell police truth during defamation trial cross examination

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Former Liberal staffer also tells defamation trial that he didn’t tell Brittany Higgins he was leaving office because he ‘wasn’t even sure she was still there’

Bruce Lehrmann said he must have been “mistaken” when he told the Australian Federal Police he did not have any alcohol in his office – and under cross-examination he conceded he had multiple bottles of whisky and gin at the time.

The former Liberal staffer also admitted telling three different stories – including two that were lies – about the reason for his after-hours visit to Parliament House but denied sexually assaulting Brittany Higgins after they entered the ministerial office together.

Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organisations. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). The crisis support service Lifeline is at 13 11 14.

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