Lisa Wilkinson says ‘I published a true story about a rape’ after Bruce Lehrmann defamation case ruling

Justice Michael Lee dismissed Lehrmann’s defamation case against Wilkinson and Channel Ten brought over a story aired on The Project in February 2021 in which Higgins claimed she was raped by a Liberal staffer.

Lehrmann looked ahead as he walked away from court, surrounded by the press pack, and did not answer questions from journalists or make a statement.

“When put to the test, it was always our obligation to inform the public of these important social and political matters notwithstanding the challenges presented by these laws and today’s judgment vindicates the telling of Brittany’s story,” a spokesperson said.

Dr Tessa Boyd-Caine, chief executive for Anrows, said she hoped the finding would be a step forward for women feeling like their experience of sexual violence will be recognised in the legal process.

Like the Ben Roberts-Smith’s defamation loss last year, he said the outcome proved the truth defence works, so “long as the media are painstaking in their research and careful in the way they go about representing the material”.

Muller said a jury might have decided the case differently from the judge due to popular rape myths that might have been put forward in a criminal trial.