Court documents reveal the Seven Network is paying $4,000 per fortnight to cover Bruce Lehrmann’s rent, in exchange for him speaking exclusively to the network over a 12-month period.
Key points:
- Bruce Lehrmann previously told the Federal Court that Seven was paying for his “accommodation”, to help facilitate filming his appearances on the network
- An invoice has now revealed that accommodation is worth $4,000 per fortnight — or more than $100,000 for a year
- The document was released by the court as part of Mr Lehrmann’s defamation trial against Network Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson
An exclusivity agreement and an invoice have been released by the Federal Court as part of Mr Lehrmann’s defamation trial against Network Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson.
Mr Lehrmann claims Ten’s interview with Brittany Higgins on The Project in February 2021 — in which she detailed her rape allegation — defamed him, even though he was not identified.
During cross-examination last week, Mr Lehrmann told the court the Seven Network agreed to pay his “accommodation” over a 12-month period, to help facilitate filming his appearances on the network.
An invoice released by the court has now revealed the continuous accommodation covers from April 13 this year to April 12 next year.
The invoice, which specifically covers a fortnight in June, listed the cost as $4,000.
Over 12 months, the cost totals more than $100,000.
The contract between Mr Lehrmann and Seven also revealed that he agreed to interviews and filming sequences, as well as providing other items requested by the network such as documents and photographs.
“In consideration of the interviewee complying in full with the terms and warranties of this agreement and for the contribution of his time, Seven will provide the Interviewee 12 months accommodation at a residence to be agreed by Seven and the interviewee,” the contract reads.
Since signing the agreement, Mr Lehrmann has given multiple interviews to the Seven Network, including twice to the Spotlight program, and once on the breakfast program Sunrise.
At the time of Mr Lehrmann’s first interview, 7NEWS Spotlight told the ABC it “made no payment to Bruce Lehrmann for the interview, however, the program assisted with accommodation as part of the filming of the report”.
Mr Lehrmann has also since featured in Seven’s television news coverage of the findings from an ACT Board of Inquiry — the territory’s equivalent to a royal commission — into how the criminal case against him was handled.
Mr Lehrmann has, however, also spoken to Sky News.
The contract with the Seven Network stipulates that he must not give an interview to any other media organisation “without Seven’s prior written approval”.
It is not known if he obtained this approval prior to speaking to Sky News’ Sharri Markson in August.
Mr Lehrmann’s criminal trial in the ACT Supreme Court last year was aborted due to juror misconduct, and prosecutors declined to re-try the case.
It has left no findings against Mr Lehrmann, who has maintained his innocence throughout.