Community Ten has laid out its defence in defamation proceedings introduced by former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann over an interview on The Venture alleging the rape of Brittany Higgins.
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Community Ten says it would search to determine that its reporting was true and likewise depend on the defence of certified privilege
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The media firm’s courtroom paperwork declare an e-mail was despatched with 16 inquiries to Bruce Lehrmann, asking him whether or not he raped Brittany Higgins and if he was out there for an interview
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Mr Lehrmann has maintained his innocence and there have been no findings towards him
Mr Lehrmann was not named throughout this system, which aired in February 2021, previous to him being charged with the alleged offence.
However he has lodged defamation proceedings within the Federal Court docket, claiming he might simply have been recognized from the fabric.
Mr Lehrmann has persistently and repeatedly maintained he’s harmless of allegations of raping Ms Higgins.
His trial was deserted due to juror misconduct, and a retrial was later put aside due to fears for Ms Higgins’s well being.
There have been no findings towards him.
He’s now looking for damages from Community Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson over this system, in addition to towards Information Life Media and journalist Samantha Maiden over an identical story revealed on-line on the identical day.
In its defence to the defamation motion filed on Tuesday, Community Ten stated it will search to determine that the reporting was true and likewise depend on the defence of certified privilege within the case.
The media firm additionally responded to claims from Mr Lehrmann that he was not given a possibility to answer the allegations previous to the interview — believed to have been considered by 720,000 individuals — going to air.
As a part of its defence, Community Ten stated it made “cheap makes an attempt” to acquire Mr Lehrmann’s aspect of the story, together with by calls, by way of a textual content message and thru emails.
Court docket paperwork comprise an e-mail despatched by a producer of The Venture setting out a sequence of 16 questions for Mr Lehrmann, together with “Did you rape Brittany Higgins as alleged?” and “Are you out there for an interview with the Venture?”.
Ten’s defence paperwork say Mr Lehrmann didn’t reply to any of its makes an attempt to contact him.
Final week, Wilkinson filed her defence, saying, much like Community Ten, that she would search to show a reality defence that Mr Lehrmann did rape Ms Higgins.
All media retailers now indicating they may search to determine reality in reporting
Throughout a short point out within the Federal Court docket late on Wednesday afternoon, Information Life Media and Maiden additionally indicated they might search to determine certified privilege and reality defences within the case.
Mr Lehrmann’s lawyer Steve Whybrow instructed the courtroom his shopper ought to be allowed to carry the defamation motion, though it had been greater than a yr because the publication of the information tales.
Mr Whybrow stated Mr Lehrmann had been unable to take motion earlier, partly due to the legal trial he confronted late final yr.
The courtroom additionally mentioned limiting the actions, in order that Mr Lehrmann wouldn’t face being cross-examined a number of occasions, because the case unfolded.
The case will return to courtroom subsequent week.
Supply By https://www.abc.web.au/information/2023-03-08/network-ten-files-defence-in-lehrmann-defamation-case/102068434