Daniel Klineberg

Newly released emails show a prominent silk describing Brittany Higgins’ refusal to assist Lisa Wilkinson’s barrister Sue Chrysanthou as “at the least unwise”, amid a dispute over the TV presenter’s decision to hire her own legal team in Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation case. 

A judge has found that Lisa Wilkinson acted reasonably in ditching Network Ten’s legal team in a defamation case brought by Bruce Lehrmann, noting the “distrust” between the presenter and her former employer as well as other matters, including a retainer Ten’s solicitors had with The Australian newspaper. 

The Project presenter Lisa Wilkinson has told a court that she begged Network Ten to admit its role in a controversial Logies speech for which she faced criticism in the media, as she pushes to have the network cover her costs in defamation proceedings brought by Bruce Lehrmann.

A senior lawyer at Network Ten has told the court she was not embarrassed by legal advice given to Lisa Wilkinson in relation to her controversial Logies speech and denied she was “utterly ill-equipped” to play a role in Wilkinson’s defence, amid a stoush between the network and the presenter over her legal bill in Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation case. 

Network Ten, which is resisting paying the legal bill for Lisa Wilkinson in defamation proceedings by accused rapist Bruce Lehrmann, has argued it is only on the hook for paying costs “reasonably incurred” by the presenter.

Network Ten is pushing to transfer proceedings by TV presenter Lisa Wilkinson for coverage of her legal bill in a defamation case by accused rapist Bruce Lehrmann to the court hearing the former Liberal staffer’s case.

Ten has questioned whether presenter Lisa Wilkinson should have separate representation in defending a defamation case by accused rapist Bruce Lehrmann, as it responds to a dispute over a promise to cover her legal bill.

The High Court has declined special leave to a class action to challenge a ruling that found dam operator Seqwater was not liable for the 2011 Queensland floods, after the state of Queensland and subcontractor Sunwater agreed to pay $440 million last year to settle their share of the liability in the long-running case.

The applicants in the Queensland floods class action have asked the High Court to overturn a judgment which found dam operator Seqwater was not liable because it was functioning as a public authority when operating two dams during the 2011 floods, arguing the case raises important issues about appeals in ‘mega’ litigation.

Water supplier and dam operator Seqwater has won its high-stakes challenge to a ruling finding it liable for the 2011 Queensland floods and sticking it with half the damages owed to thousands of class action members.