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Bruce Lehrmann has been gathering $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 12 months.
Former Highlight producer Taylor Auerbach informed the Federal Court docket the community paid 1000’s for Lehrmann’s use of intercourse employees, Thai massages, cocaine, and costly dinners 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 Court docket 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 enchantment to overturn the judgement in Could, with the matter listed for an pressing case administration listening to on Friday morning.
His lawyer Zali Burrows has now informed the courtroom a bitter argument over $117,000 has emerged between Lehrmann and his former defamation agency, Mark O’Brien.
Ms Burrows informed the courtroom there have been submitting charges related together with his defamation case towards Community Ten and Lisa Wilkinson legal guidelines 12 months, however Lehrmann didn’t must pay them as a result of he was on welfare.
Bruce Lehrmann is pictured having fun with a protracted lunch with a pal in Bondi final 12 months
Lehrmann was represented within the Federal Court docket on Friday by his solicitor, Zali Burrows (pictured)
Day by day Mail Australia understands Lehrmann has been on the profit scheme known as Austudy since about 2021, when Ms Higgins first went public along with her rape allegations towards him in an interview with Wilkinson on Ten’s present, The Venture.
Lehrmann – who has not had a job since 2021 – was in a position to profit from the examine scheme, relatively than employment scheme Job Seeker, as a result of he’s a part-time regulation scholar.
Earlier than the enchantment 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 software to completely keep the enchantment, which suggests it might not be allowed to proceed, if he couldn’t pay the deposit inside 42 days. Nevertheless, he’ll struggle that software in a listening to on October 14.
The listening to on Friday heard Community Ten’s lawyer Tim Senior inform the courtroom Lehrmann’s staff didn’t file an amended discover of enchantment by the August 29 deadline, and he had no reason 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 enchantment.
‘We do not have a date, and it is a matter for the courtroom, however it’s very tough for us to contemplate our place in these circumstances the place [legal] counsel might or might not be briefed,’ he stated.
‘We do not know why there’s been this delay after a lot time.’
Bruce Lehrmann is pictured throughout certainly one of his two Highlight interviews final 12 months
Lisa Wilkinson (pictured outdoors courtroom in April) interviewed Brittany Higgins about her rape claims in 2021
Ms Burrows informed the courtroom there have been prices points to take care of earlier than submitting an amended discover of enchantment.
The prices points have been in relation to Lehrmann’s defamation case towards Community Ten and Wilkinson final 12 months. Because the loser of the trial, he’s anticipated to cowl his opponent’s prices – price about $2million.
Justice Lee dealt with these prices proceedings, however they’ve been paused till there’s an enchantment end result.
Ms Burrows informed the courtroom Lehrmann’s former regulation 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 12 months. Phrases of the settlement meant the cash would cowl his authorized charges, relatively than going into his private checking account.
After these charges have been paid, there was $117,000 left over which Ms Burrows argued must be used to fund Lehrmann’s enchantment.
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 enchantment.
‘What’s this received to do with me?’ she stated.
‘That is an enchantment … 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 light-weight blue shirt
Ms Burrows stated she would file an software 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 a substitute 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 would be grateful if maybe when you may give a advice if it may very well be handled precedence.’
The decide stated: ‘So, with none discover, you need this courtroom – 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 occurring for a while, when 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 consumer has filed an software for a refund of these [$117,000] charges, however it was returned on a technical difficulty, and will likely be refiled.’
Ten’s lawyer Mr Senior then informed the courtroom it was ‘very regarding’ that Ms Burrows meant to ‘hijack’ the enchantment proceedings for a prices matter handled in a special 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 opportunity of an amended discover of enchantment being filed and messing up the timetable.’
The matter will return to courtroom later in September.
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