Latest news with #Lehrmann
News.com.au
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Taylor Auerbach: Ex-Spotlight producer alleges ‘serious harm' to reputation
Former Spotlight producer Taylor Auerbach, who gave bombshell evidence during Bruce Lehrmann's defamation trial against Network 10 and Lisa Wilkinson, has taken the next step in his legal action against the Seven Network. Mr Auerbach, who was a senior producer for the Spotlight series for two years from August 2021, filed defamation proceedings in the Federal Court in March 2025. He is suing Seven over comments the network allegedly made about him after he gave evidence in Lehrmann's defamation trial. The concerns notice previously obtained by names Seven chief executive James Warburton, former Seven commercial director Bruce McWilliam and producer and blogger Robert McKnight. Mr Auerbach helped convince Lehrmann to be interviewed for the Spotlight program, which aired in June 2023, after the criminal case for the alleged rape of former colleague and political staffer Brittany Higgins was dropped out of fear for Ms Higgins' health. Fronting the Federal Court of Victoria via livestream on Friday, Mr Auerbach was represented by barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC, who argued there was 'pretty good evidence of serious harm to (Mr Auerbach's) reputation' by Seven. Ms Chrysanthou said Mr Auerbach was the 'primary employee engaged with Mr Lehrmann' and there was a 'lengthy chronology' that explained the interactions between Mr Auerbach and Seven that were 'mainly proved by documents' from the Lehrmann defamation trial. Ms Chrysanthou added the 'damage Seven suffered was by its own hands, not (Mr Auerbach)'. During his affidavit during the Lehmann defamation trial, Mr Auerbach alleged he acted as a 'babysitter' for Lehrmann and claimed the Seven Network covered the costs for illegal drugs, sex workers, a round of golf and meals, including a $361 Tomahawk steak in an effort to build a relationship with Lehrmann. The former Spotlight producer also told the court the network reimbursed Lehrmann for money used at a brothel and paid for drugs in January 2023; however, he said there were no invoices available. Mr Auerbach said his job ended in August 2023 at the expiry of his employment agreement, and he had previously 'made claim against Seven for psychological injury in which I settled on confidential terms'. In a statement at the time of the affidavit, Seven said the network 'acted appropriately at all times' and 'did not condone or authorise the alleged payments' to Lehrmann. In 2024, Justice Michael Lee dismissed Lehrmann's lawsuit against Network Ten and Wilkinson after he found, on the civil standard of the balance of probabilities, that the former Liberal staffer had raped Ms Higgins inside Parliament House in March 2019. Lehrmann claimed he had been defamed by an interview aired on The Project, where Ms Higgins alleged she was raped by a colleague after a night out in Canberra. Lehrmann stood trial in 2022 at the ACT Supreme Court, where he pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting Ms Higgins. The charges were subsequently dropped by the Director of Public Prosecutions due to concerns about Ms Higgins' mental health. Lehrmann has maintained his innocence and repeatedly told the court no sexual contact occurred. An appeal against Justice Lee's decision remains before the court. Mr Auerbach's case management hearing was adjourned to October 31.
Perth Now
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
‘Serious harm': Ex-producer's claim against Seven
Former Spotlight producer Taylor Auerbach, who gave bombshell evidence during Bruce Lehrmann's defamation trial against Network 10 and Lisa Wilkinson, has taken the next step in his legal action against the Seven Network. Mr Auerbach, who was a senior producer for the Spotlight series for two years from August 2021, filed defamation proceedings in the Federal Court in March 2025. He is suing Seven over comments the network allegedly made about him after he gave evidence in Lehrmann's defamation trial. The concerns notice previously obtained by names Seven chief executive James Warburton, former Seven commercial director Bruce McWilliam and producer and blogger Robert McKnight. Mr Auerbach helped convince Lehrmann to be interviewed for the Spotlight program, which aired in June 2023, after the criminal case for the alleged rape of former colleague and political staffer Brittany Higgins was dropped out of fear for Ms Higgins' health. Taylor Auerbach filed defamation proceedings against the Seven Network. NewsWire / Nikki Short Credit: News Corp Australia Fronting the Federal Court of Victoria via livestream on Friday, Mr Auerbach was represented by barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC, who argued there was 'pretty good evidence of serious harm to (Mr Auerbach's) reputation' by Seven. Ms Chrysanthou said Mr Auerbach was the 'primary employee engaged with Mr Lehrmann' and there was a 'lengthy chronology' that explained the interactions between Mr Auerbach and Seven that were 'mainly proved by documents' from the Lehrmann defamation trial. Ms Chrysanthou added the 'damage Seven suffered was by its own hands, not (Mr Auerbach)'. During his affidavit during the Lehmann defamation trial, Mr Auerbach alleged he acted as a 'babysitter' for Lehrmann and claimed the Seven Network covered the costs for illegal drugs, sex workers, a round of golf and meals, including a $361 Tomahawk steak in an effort to build a relationship with Lehrmann. Barrister Sue Chrysanthou said there was 'pretty good evidence' Mr Auerbach's reputation was harmed. NewsWire / Nikki Short Credit: News Corp Australia The former Spotlight producer also told the court the network reimbursed Lehrmann for money used at a brothel and paid for drugs in January 2023; however, he said there were no invoices available. Mr Auerbach said his job ended in August 2023 at the expiry of his employment agreement, and he had previously 'made claim against Seven for psychological injury in which I settled on confidential terms'. In a statement at the time of the affidavit, Seven said the network 'acted appropriately at all times' and 'did not condone or authorise the alleged payments' to Lehrmann. In 2024, Justice Michael Lee dismissed Lehrmann's lawsuit against Network Ten and Wilkinson after he found, on the civil standard of the balance of probabilities, that the former Liberal staffer had raped Ms Higgins inside Parliament House in March 2019. Former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann denied sexually assaulting former colleague Brittany Higgins. NewsWire / John Gass Credit: News Corp Australia Lehrmann claimed he had been defamed by an interview aired on The Project, where Ms Higgins alleged she was raped by a colleague after a night out in Canberra. Lehrmann stood trial in 2022 at the ACT Supreme Court, where he pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting Ms Higgins. The charges were subsequently dropped by the Director of Public Prosecutions due to concerns about Ms Higgins' mental health. Lehrmann has maintained his innocence and repeatedly told the court no sexual contact occurred. An appeal against Justice Lee's decision remains before the court. Mr Auerbach's case management hearing was adjourned to October 31.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Serious harm': Ex-producer's claim against Seven
Former Spotlight producer Taylor Auerbach, who gave bombshell evidence during Bruce Lehrmann's defamation trial against Network 10 and Lisa Wilkinson, has taken the next step in his legal action against the Seven Network. Mr Auerbach, who was a senior producer for the Spotlight series for two years from August 2021, filed defamation proceedings in the Federal Court in March 2025. He is suing Seven over comments the network allegedly made about him after he gave evidence in Lehrmann's defamation trial. The concerns notice previously obtained by names Seven chief executive James Warburton, former Seven commercial director Bruce McWilliam and producer and blogger Robert McKnight. Mr Auerbach helped convince Lehrmann to be interviewed for the Spotlight program, which aired in June 2023, after the criminal case for the alleged rape of former colleague and political staffer Brittany Higgins was dropped out of fear for Ms Higgins' health. Fronting the Federal Court of Victoria via livestream on Friday, Mr Auerbach was represented by barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC, who argued there was 'pretty good evidence of serious harm to (Mr Auerbach's) reputation' by Seven. Ms Chrysanthou said Mr Auerbach was the 'primary employee engaged with Mr Lehrmann' and there was a 'lengthy chronology' that explained the interactions between Mr Auerbach and Seven that were 'mainly proved by documents' from the Lehrmann defamation trial. Ms Chrysanthou added the 'damage Seven suffered was by its own hands, not (Mr Auerbach)'. During his affidavit during the Lehmann defamation trial, Mr Auerbach alleged he acted as a 'babysitter' for Lehrmann and claimed the Seven Network covered the costs for illegal drugs, sex workers, a round of golf and meals, including a $361 Tomahawk steak in an effort to build a relationship with Lehrmann. The former Spotlight producer also told the court the network reimbursed Lehrmann for money used at a brothel and paid for drugs in January 2023; however, he said there were no invoices available. Mr Auerbach said his job ended in August 2023 at the expiry of his employment agreement, and he had previously 'made claim against Seven for psychological injury in which I settled on confidential terms'. In a statement at the time of the affidavit, Seven said the network 'acted appropriately at all times' and 'did not condone or authorise the alleged payments' to Lehrmann. In 2024, Justice Michael Lee dismissed Lehrmann's lawsuit against Network Ten and Wilkinson after he found, on the civil standard of the balance of probabilities, that the former Liberal staffer had raped Ms Higgins inside Parliament House in March 2019. Lehrmann claimed he had been defamed by an interview aired on The Project, where Ms Higgins alleged she was raped by a colleague after a night out in Canberra. Lehrmann stood trial in 2022 at the ACT Supreme Court, where he pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting Ms Higgins. The charges were subsequently dropped by the Director of Public Prosecutions due to concerns about Ms Higgins' mental health. Lehrmann has maintained his innocence and repeatedly told the court no sexual contact occurred. An appeal against Justice Lee's decision remains before the court. Mr Auerbach's case management hearing was adjourned to October 31.
7NEWS
24-04-2025
- 7NEWS
Bruce Lehrmann lawyer claims vital evidence withheld as tensions escalate in court
Former Liberal Party staffer Bruce Lehrmann wants prosecutors to hand over CCTV and witness statements ahead of his rape trial after his solicitor claimed 'important' evidence had been withheld. Lehrmann is accused of raping a woman twice on the morning of October 10, 2021, after the pair met the night before at a strip club in Toowoomba, west of Brrisbane. The case was mentioned in Toowoomba District Court on Thursday. Lehrmann's solicitor Zali Burrows told Judge Dennis Lynch she would make an application for a complete consolidated brief of evidence. 'On March 13, the (Office of Director of Public Prosecutions) pretty much told me in an email they had no intention to further respond to my disclosure requests,' Burrows said. 'The witness list now confirms I'm missing no less than nine witness statements and also important CCTV recordings.' Burrows said the court needed to deal with her need for evidence disclosure before considering the prosecution's application to have Lehrmann's alleged victim declared a special witness. If a witness is granted special status, they can be granted exemptions from normal trial procedures and may give evidence from a remote room, be shielded from the defendant's view or have their evidence and cross-examination pre-recorded on video. Crown prosecutor Caroline Marco said her office could respond directly to Burrows without the need for a court application. 'I would expect that if Burrows just communicated with us as to what material she requires that we indicated was part of the brief, that we would just provide that to her,' Marco said. Judge Lynch said he was not going to enter into a dispute between the two parties about what should or should not be disclosed. '(Burrows) says she doesn't know what she doesn't have ... If the parties can't agree and do it in a sensible way so that the matter can progress, someone needs to file an application and I will deal with the application,' Judge Lynch said. He said he expected all parties to file all their intended pre-trial applications to allow for hearing dates to be set before the actual trial. The matter was adjourned for a further mention on May 22. Lehrmann, 29, was formerly employed as a ministerial staffer in the Parliament House office of Liberal Senator Sue Reynolds. The alleged victim previously told Toowoomba Magistrates Court she consumed cocaine with Lehrmann during a night out before consensual sex at a house in the rural city's east about 4am. The woman said she was woken about 10am by Lehrmann sexually assaulting her. Lehrmann's former defence barrister Andrew Hoare said at a prior committal hearing the alleged victim was too intoxicated to remember giving consent and Lehrmann could have mistakenly believed he had consent for further sex acts. Lehrmann's former solicitor Rowan King previously told Judge Lynch their legal team would apply for the trial to be heard without a jury with a judge determining the verdict.
Daily Mail
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Bruce Lehrmann's major request ahead of his rape trial - after his lawyer claimed 'important' evidence had been withheld
Former Liberal Party staffer Bruce Lehrmann wants prosecutors to hand over CCTV and witness statements ahead of his rape trial after his solicitor claimed 'important' evidence had been withheld. Lehrmann is accused of raping a woman twice during the morning of October 10, 2021 after they met at a strip club the previous night in Toowoomba, west of Brisbane. The case was mentioned in Toowoomba District Court on Thursday. Lehrmann's solicitor Zali Burrows told Judge Dennis Lynch she would make an application for a complete consolidated brief of evidence. 'On the 13th of March the (Office of Director of Public Prosecutions) pretty much told me in an email they had no intention to further respond to my disclosure requests,' Ms Burrows said. 'The witness list now confirms I'm missing no less than nine witness statements and also important CCTV recordings.' Ms Burrows said the court needed to deal with her need for evidence disclosure before considering the prosecution's application to have Lehrmann's alleged victim declared a special witness. If a witness is granted special status, they can be granted exemptions from normal trial procedures and may give evidence from a remote room, be shielded from the defendant's view or have their evidence and cross-examination pre-recorded on video. Crown prosecutor Caroline Marco said her office could respond directly to Ms Burrows without the need for a court application. 'I would expect that if Ms Burrows just communicated with us as to what material she requires that we indicated was part of the brief, that we would just provide that to her,' Ms Marco said. Judge Lynch said he was not going to enter into a dispute between the two parties about what should or should not be disclosed. '(Ms Burrows) says she doesn't know what she doesn't have ... If the parties can't agree and do it in a sensible way so that the matter can progress, someone needs to file an application and I will deal with the application,' Judge Lynch said. He said he expected all parties to file all their intended pre-trial applications to allow for hearing dates to be set before the actual trial. The matter was adjourned for a further mention on May 22. Lehrmann, 29, was formerly employed as a ministerial staffer in the Parliament House office of Liberal Senator Sue Reynolds. The alleged victim previously told Toowoomba Magistrates Court she consumed cocaine with Lehrmann during a night out before consensual sex at a house in the rural city's east about 4am. The woman said she was woken about 10am by Lehrmann sexually assaulting her. Lehrmann's former defence barrister Andrew Hoare said at a prior committal hearing the alleged victim was too intoxicated to remember giving consent and Lehrmann could have mistakenly believed he had consent for further sex acts. Lehrmann's former solicitor Rowan King previously told Judge Lynch their legal team would apply for the trial to be heard without a jury with a judge determining the verdict.
