Bruce Lehrmann Launches Federal Court Battle Over Government Actions
So here’s a story that’s been making headlines recently: Bruce Lehrmann, the former Liberal staffer who became a household name after the Brittany Higgins case, has now taken legal action against the government in the Federal Court. It’s quite a complex situation, but let me break it down in simple terms.
Lehrmann has filed what’s called a “judicial review” against two key figures: Don Farrell, the Special Minister of State, and Paul Brereton, the Commissioner of the National Anti-Corruption Commission. Basically, a judicial review is a process where the court is asked to look over whether a government decision was lawful. At this stage, the specifics of Lehrmann’s claims haven’t been made public, but it’s clear that he is challenging the government over the way certain decisions affecting him have been handled.
Also Read:- Dan Brown’s Wild Return withThe Secret of Secrets
- Ange Postecoglou set to take over at Nottingham Forest
This isn’t Lehrmann’s first court battle. You might remember back in 2019, he was accused of raping his colleague Brittany Higgins inside Parliament House. That case went to trial in the ACT in 2022 but was abandoned due to juror misconduct, meaning no formal findings were ever made in criminal court. Later, Lehrmann sued Network Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson for defamation over a 2021 interview in which Higgins recounted her allegations. The court eventually found, on the civil standard of the balance of probabilities, that the allegations were likely true, effectively ending his defamation claim. Lehrmann has appealed that decision, but a ruling is still pending.
Now, Lehrmann is taking on the National Anti-Corruption Commission and the Commonwealth government over legal costs related to two NACC investigations. According to court documents, he claims he was promised government funding for legal representation during these investigations, which involved searches and questioning about alleged misuse of official information—described by Lehrmann in court papers as “French submarine secrets.” He says he has incurred substantial legal costs in reliance on that promise and is now in serious financial difficulty. Lehrmann’s filings request that the court declare him eligible for funding and that the investigations be paused until the Federal Court resolves the funding issues.
Lehrmann himself is representing his case, highlighting just how dire his personal and financial situation is. Both the NACC and the government have declined to comment, citing the ongoing proceedings. His legal team has emphasized that, despite the high-profile nature of his previous cases, Lehrmann is committed to public access and transparency for these proceedings.
In short, Bruce Lehrmann is now fighting multiple legal battles at once—an appeal against his defamation loss and a judicial review challenging government actions—while navigating severe financial pressure and the continuing fallout from one of the most high-profile political cases in recent Australian history.
Read More:
0 Comments