Ex-Senator Reflects on Lehrmann’s Case as One of His Worst
George Brandis shares his thoughts on Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation trial and his mixed feelings about past decisions in a recent column.
Bruce Lehrmann, George Brandis, Defamation Trial, Australia, Parliament House
Canberra: So, George Brandis, the former Attorney-General, recently opened up about his time in office. He talked about his best and worst decisions, and guess who popped up? Bruce Lehrmann.
In a column for the Sydney Morning Herald, Brandis reflected on 2024 and mentioned some standout moments. He praised Justice Michael Lee for his impressive handling of complex cases, especially the Lehrmann defamation trial.
Brandis said Justice Lee managed the trial with skill, even adding a touch of humor to a tough situation. He called appointing Lee one of his best moves as Attorney-General. But then he dropped a bombshell—he also gave Lehrmann his first job in Parliament, which he admitted was one of his worst decisions.
Things got intense in April when Justice Lee ruled on Lehrmann’s defamation case against Network 10 and Lisa Wilkinson. He found that Lehrmann had likely raped Brittany Higgins back in March 2019.
Lee didn’t hold back, criticizing Lehrmann for pursuing defamation after his criminal case fell apart. He famously said, “Having escaped the lion’s den, Mr Lehrmann made the mistake of going back for his hat.”
Lehrmann still claims he’s innocent and is appealing the decision, with the appeal set to be heard late next year. He faced a criminal trial in 2022 but it was abandoned due to juror misconduct, and the charges were dropped for the sake of Higgins’ well-being.