Bruce Lehrmann has been amassing $1300 a month in Centrelink advantages since he was publicly accused of rape, and whereas Channel Seven funded his lavish life-style.
The community paid Lehrmann’s hire in Balgowlah, on Sydney’s northern seashores, for 12 months as a part of a profitable $105,000 association in trade for unique interviews on the Highlight program final yr.
Former Highlight producer Taylor Auerbach then informed the Federal Courtroom the community paid hundreds for Lehrmann’s use of intercourse staff, Thai massages, cocaine, and costly dinners – all in a bid to entice him into the unique deal.
Seven and the previous Liberal staffer have fiercely denied these claims.
The lodging deal got here to an finish in April – simply weeks after Federal Courtroom Justice Michael Lee discovered, on a stability of possibilities, that he had raped former colleague Brittany Higgins in Parliament Home in 2019.
Lehrmann lodged an attraction to overturn the judgement in Might, with the matter listed for an pressing case administration listening to on Friday morning.
His lawyer Zali Burrows has now informed the court docket a bitter argument over $117,000 has emerged between Lehrmann and his former defamation agency, Mark O’Brien.
Ms Burrows informed the court docket there have been submitting charges related together with his defamation case in opposition to Community Ten and Lisa Wilkinson legal guidelines yr, however Lehrmann didn’t need to pay them as a result of he was on welfare.
Bruce Lehrmann is pictured having fun with an extended lunch with a pal in Bondi final yr
Lehrmann was represented within the Federal Courtroom on Friday by his solicitor, Zali Burrows (pictured)
Each day Mail Australia understands Lehrmann has been on the profit scheme known as Austudy since about 2021, when Ms Higgins first went public together with her rape allegations in opposition to him in an interview with Wilkinson on Ten’s present, The Challenge.
Lehrmann – who has not had a job since 2021 – was in a position to profit from the examine scheme, reasonably than employment scheme Job Seeker, as a result of he’s a part-time legislation scholar.
Earlier than the attraction can proceed, Ten has requested Lehrmann to pay $200,000 surety to cowl their prices within the occasion that he loses.
The community made an utility to completely keep the attraction, which suggests it could not be allowed to proceed, if he couldn’t pay the deposit inside 42 days – nevertheless, he’ll battle that utility in a listening to on October 14.
The listening to on Friday started with Community Ten’s lawyer Tim Senior telling the court docket Lehrmann’s group didn’t file an amended discover of attraction by the August 29 deadline, and he had no clarification as to why.
He stated there was a scarcity of readability round Lehrmann’s authorized illustration and the extent of Ms Burrow’s involvement, and the timeline of the attraction.
‘We do not have a date, and it is a matter for the court docket, however it’s very tough for us to contemplate our place in these circumstances the place [legal] counsel could or is probably not briefed, we do not know why there’s been this delay after a lot time,’ he stated.
Bruce Lehrmann is pictured throughout one in all his two Highlight interviews final yr
Lisa Wilkinson (pictured exterior court docket in April) interviewed Brittany Higgins about her rape claims in 2021
Ms Burrows then informed the court docket there have been prices points to take care of earlier than submitting an amended discover of attraction.
The prices points had been in relation to Lehrmann’s defamation case in opposition to Community Ten and Wilkinson final yr. Because the loser of the trial, he’s anticipated to cowl his opponent’s prices – value about $2million.
Justice Lee dealt with these prices proceedings, however they’ve been paused till there’s an attraction end result.
Ms Burrows informed the court docket Lehrmann’s former legislation agency, Mark O’Brien, was holding $117,000 in a belief.
The cash got here from Lehrmann’s mixed $445,000 defamation settlements with the ABC and information.com.au final yr. Phrases of the settlement meant the cash would cowl his authorized charges, reasonably than going into his private checking account.
After these charges had been paid, there was $117,000 leftover which Ms Burrows argued needs to be used to fund Lehrmann’s attraction.
Mark O’Brien labored for Lehrmann on a no-win no-fee foundation.
Justice Wendy Abraham appeared confused over why Ms Burrows would point out a prices matter – which is being dealt with by Justice Lee – in relation to the attraction.
‘What’s this received to do with me?’ she stated.
‘That is an attraction … Why is not Justice Lee coping with it?’
Pictured: CCTV from the night time Bruce Lehrmann raped Brittany Higgins in 2019. She is pictured in white, he’s standing to subsequent to her in a lightweight blue shirt
Ms Burrows stated she would file an utility to the registrar in relation to the $117,000, however requested Justice Abraham’s help to expedite it.
‘The explanation, Your Honour, why I am asking you to take care of the appliance as an alternative of the registrar is so it may be handled expeditiously,’ Ms Burrows stated.
Justice Abraham: ‘Why could not the registrar take care of it expeditiously?’
Ms Burrows: ‘I am not saying the registrar cannot, however I might be grateful if maybe when you may give a suggestion if it might be handled precedence.’
The choose stated: ‘So, with none discover, you need this court docket – me – to take care of a matter you will have but to file earlier than the registrar so you’ll be able to succeed and settle?’
‘You increase this now, when one assumed this has been happening for a while, whilst you’re in breach of orders and I’ve no clarification as to why.’
Ms Burrows stated: ‘It has taken a while to contemplate the prices agreements and my shopper has filed an utility for a refund of these [$117,000] charges, however it was returned on a technical situation, and shall be refiled.’
Ten’s lawyer Mr Senior then informed the court docket it was ‘very regarding’ that Ms Burrows meant to ‘hijack’ the attraction proceedings for a prices matter handled in a distinct matter.
‘I do not actually know what to say,’ he stated, turning round to take a look at his colleague, Marlia Saunders, who appeared equally as confused.
‘I am very involved about the potential of an amended discover of attraction being filed and messing up the timetable.’
The matter will return to court docket later in September.
