Seven paid 12 months accommodation for Bruce Lehrmann, court hears

Some insight into networks paying for high-profile interviews emerged in the Federal Court today.

In the defamation proceedings between Bruce Lehrmann and Network 10 / Lisa Wilkinson, an invoice was produced.

Ms. Wilkinson’s barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC asked, “And it was part of the agreement, isn’t it, that you were paid for 12 months of accommodation by Channel Seven?”

“’That’s the only part…that’s what I get,’’ Mr Lehrmann replied.

Ms Chrysanthou asked if the agreement to pay rent in the contract was from June 2023 to June 2024.

“Umm, well, yes. For filming in those places,’’ he replied.

But Mr Lehrmann denied knowledge of its value.

“I’ve never seen that,” he said.

“Network Seven handled the accommodation arrangements.”

Previously Seven had publicly confirmed, “7NEWS Spotlight made no payment to Bruce Lehrmann for the interview, however the program assisted with accommodation as part of the filming of the report.”

While Bruce Lehrmann also agreed to hand Seven information, documents, film, video, photographs, items of assistance reasonably requested, none was supplied to Seven.

“No I just gave an interview,” Lehrmann said.

When Justice Michael Lee questioned the relevance of questions Ms. Chrysanthou said, “The document was produced on subpoena by Network Seven, your honour, so we’ll deal with that later.”

The case continues.