Key Points
- One of the documents contained an email sent Wilkinson by Higgin's partner, Sharaz.
- The discussion was about Higgins' alleged 2019 rape by Bruce Lehrmann.
- Lehrmann is suing Network Ten and Wilkinson over a February 2021 episode of the program that aired the allegations.
This article contains references to allegations of rape and sexual assault.
Court documents have revealed an exchange between Brittany Higgins' partner David Sharaz and journalist Lisa Wilkinson in which he discussed going after the "Liberal Party machine."
The discussion was in an email about Higgins' alleged 2019 rape by Bruce Lehrmann in Parliament House.
Lehrmann is suing Network Ten and over a February 2021 episode of the program that aired the allegations in an interview with Higgins, without naming him.
Over a hundred documents made public by the Federal Court on Thursday contained behind-the-scenes correspondence between producers and journalists at Ten as they discreetly put the segment together so as not to make the allegations public ahead of time.
Lisa Wilkinson did not address any of the assertions about the Liberal Party. Source: AAP / Dean Lewins
Sharaz did not identify Higgins in the 18 January 2021 email, titled "MeToo, Liberal Party, Project Pitch".
"I've got a sensitive story surrounding a sexual assault at Parliament House," Sharaz wrote. "She's asked me to be the one to get the story told this year.
"The girl has been through a lot, and I'm deeply protective of making sure this is done right, given going after the Liberal Party machine is no easy feat."
Sharaz said his previous experience including as a Sky News political journalist gave him insight that "she'll only get one pull of the trigger before they try to discredit and shut the story down (sic)."
"I can say this, it's the first time something like that has happened under Prime Minister Scott Morrison's watch," Sharaz continued.
"He can no longer use the excuse: 'This is a bubble' issue, or 'this was before my time'."
In her response, Wilkinson did not address any of the assertions about the Liberal Party but said she would be "very keen" to look into the story further.
Before Lehrmann's rape trial was aborted due to jury misconduct, Higgins denied his barrister's contention she told the media about the alleged rape two years after it occurred because she wanted to damage the Liberal Party.
In another document released on Thursday, text messages between Sharaz and Ten producer Angus Llewellyn included references to the stress facing Higgins and himself, prior to meeting with Wilkinson at a Sydney hotel.
"Ultimately it will destroy her (Higgins') career and mine as government lobbyist," Sharaz wrote. "But it's the right thing to do."
Final oral submissions from all parties in the defamation trial concluded on 22 December.
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