Bruce Lehrmann revealed as man charged with two counts of rape in Toowoomba

[Gavin Excell]

He's a flat out operative.

He actually had built up a respected career as a senior Public Servant and then trashed it all when he became Morrison's CoS

 

[QuietB]

Just reading her statement, if Higgins says that she accepts all of the judges findings, then she will drop the case?

Sounds like that is Reynolds extracting some sort of admission that she will then use to shake down Higgins for costs.

If I were Higgins I would just ignore her from now on. See you in court.

 

[QuietB]

Is there any scope for the WA judge to point to the NSW finding and say "good enough, stop eating up the Court's time"?

I think sadly WA law would not allow that - they simply have not updated their laws. I'm am relying on others who know more to confirm that though.

WA Supreme Court Justice Marcus Solomon has made this point several times in this defamation action that has now been simmering for well over 12 months, having raised concerns about the “human cost” of a prolonged and hugely expensive public defamation trial.

Is there anything he can do though?

 

[Ice-Wolf]

Is there any scope for the WA judge to point to the NSW finding and say "good enough, stop eating up the Court's time"?

Possibly also a rebuke to the State Government for having not yet updated the law to fall in line with the rest of the Commonwealth as they had agreed to which has continued to see the courts time wasted on trivial complaints.

 

[Ice-Wolf]

I think sadly WA law would not allow that - they simply have not updated their laws. I'm am relying on others who know more to confirm that though.

That just means she can take this course of action, it doesn't mean the Judge cant slam her when she wins and then stiff her for everyone's costs.

 

[Festerz]

Is there anything he can do though?

Nope. Everyone can have their day in court.

Each state provides courts with statutory powers to prevent vexatious litigation. But these powers are very limited in scope and rarely used.

(Vexatious litigation is legal action which is brought solely to harass or subdue an adversary)

 

[QuietB]

That just means she can take this course of action, it doesn't mean the Judge cant slam her when she wins and then stiff her for everyone's costs.

Nope. Everyone can have their day in court.

Each state provides courts with statutory powers to prevent vexatious litigation. But these powers are very limited in scope and rarely used.

(Vexatious litigation is legal action which is brought solely to harass or subdue an adversary)

My money is still on Reynolds withdrawing. Higgins just needs to hold firm - enjoy the French summer.

 

[peetoo]

Does Higgins have her payout already? Just follow her former colleagues MO and park it where it can’t be touched.

Turnbull could advise her

 

[Gavin Excell]

My money is still on Reynolds withdrawing. Higgins just needs to hold firm - enjoy the French summer.

She could settle

 

[QuietB]

She could settle

Why would you? Reynolds dug this hole - she can pay her own legal fees.

 

[Carn The Berries]

Brittany showed great empathy to Reynolds today in her statement on the case and yet she's still copping it from all angles from people who think she's the Wicked Witch of the West!

Higgins also extended an olive branch in the same statement, so let's see if they can find the common ground that she referred to.

And if Reynolds doesn't find some common ground and goes back into the lion's den to retrieve her Carla Zampatti jacket, then may she be eaten alive!

Agree, the door has definitely been opened by Higgins in relation to reconciliation. I sincerely hope for all parties involved that they are able to reach an amicable conclusion without it going anywhere in a courtroom.

Reynolds' response from here will be very telling.

 

[FIGJAM]

Reynolds is wasting the courts time over a trivial matter.

What's the percentage of defamation proceedings that make it to court?

Family law lawyers that I deal with regularly reckon they run at about 2% hitting the Federal Court and it's mostly mediation. I imagine similar-ish results for defamation.

 

[Not Important]

I can’t help but think Reynolds will be told to cease her legal action - the mythical Gaetjens enquiry is not playing out in an open court, and in a glorious irony her future employment prospects will be used as the stick.

reynolds has run interference from the get-go. including allegations about sending her husband to the lee court case to collect information. reckon she’s being egged on by others.


this case has the potential to cost her and higgins large sums. reynolds would not have continued the vendetta unless she was assured of financial backing. we should know where the funds are coming from. we are still in the dark as to who backed porter to the extent of a million dollars.

Fiona Brown detailed the extreme pressure she was placed under to unilaterally report the rape to the AFP without Brittany’s knowledge or consent, an exercise in Ministerial attempted arse-covering across the board. Both Minister Reynolds and the Special Minister of State Alex Hawke were, noted Justice Lee, “intent on protecting their interests at the expense of allowing a young woman to make her own decision”.

 

[Not Important]

hopefully it’ll be one of many questions reynolds will have to answer under cross-examination.

 

[Wallace52]

She’s in the ultimate no win situation now but wants Brittany to stump up for the legals - just another omnishambles

I’m just going to hazard a guess that R would like Brittany and David to STFU. She also might be trying to nip a memoir in the bud, just in case Brittany is still thinking to write one.

What cost would one put on silencing one’s enemies? It’s invaluable in some ways, isn’t it.

 

[Brian Oblivion]

I’m just going to hazard guess that R would like Brittany and David to STFU. She also might be trying to nip a memoir in the butt, just in case Brittany is still thinking to write one.

What cost would one put on silencing one’s enemies? It’s invaluable in some ways, isn’t it.

yeah, I forgot about the book deal. I wonder if she would or should bother .........

 

[FIGJAM]

She also might be trying to nip a memoir in the butt, just in case Brittany is still thinking to write one.

yeah, I forgot about the book deal. I wonder if she would or should bother .........

I feel like that book deal was a large part of the omnishambles in the first place.

If Higgins seriously wants to continue with that, she might need to put in a Fonzie Chapter and admit that she was wrrrrrrrrooooo....

 

[FIGJAM]

hopefully it’ll be one of many questions reynolds will have to answer under cross-examination.

Amazing that these conspiracy theories still continue to gather momentum, despite them being tested in at least one court of law in the criminal trial and if it had any weight, the civil trial.

Carlos Ramos was the cleaner on that night and he stated in the criminal trial that there was a general clean for a party and he had NFI why he needed to clean Reynolds' office, as it was in mint condition.

No mention of this happened at the second civil trial. Why?!

And also, there was no "steam clean"! The couch was leather to start with. Then it was just a clean. And not much of as clean according to Carlos.

Some of these conspiracies are like arguing with flag Earthers and moon landing deniers. They can never be taught!

 

[Brian Oblivion]

I feel like that book deal was a large part of the omnishambles in the first place.

If Higgins seriously wants to continue with that, she might need to put in a Fonzie Chapter and admit that she was wrrrrrrrrooooo....

A good post but I think you are over egging it with the idea the book deal was "a large part of the omnishambles in the first place"

There has been much weirdness going on here for some time and "the book deal" is but a small thing me thinks but interesting nevertheless hello.

 

[Wallace52]

I feel like that book deal was a large part of the omnishambles in the first place.

If Higgins seriously wants to continue with that, she might need to put in a Fonzie Chapter and admit that she was wrrrrrrrrooooo....

I mean she took an advance. So presumably she’s going to have to write something at some point.

 

[Festerz]

Paul Barry giving one final whack to the hypocrisy of the Australian and its Bruce Lehrmann's cheer leader, conservative darling Jane Albrechtsen, in the way manner they covered the Lehrmann defamation judgement.



Hope the new ABC Chair (Kim Williams) is ready for the usual orchestrated wave of 'ABC lefty bias' bleating to start rolling in.

 

[Festerz]

Excellent article by Paul Bongiorno on the media circus that is building around Liberal Senator Linda Reynolds continued legal pursuit of her former staffer and rape victim Brittany Higgins, the support to her actions being given by Dutton and the likely damage it will do to the chances of the Liberals regaining key Teal seats in the upcoming election.

The broader political cost will also be borne by her leader Peter Dutton and the Liberal Party, suffering as it does a significant deficit of support among women voters.

Doorknockers for teal independent candidates in Sydney at the last election found the top issues for voters were climate, women and corruption.

As has already been noted in the media, Dutton’s first public reaction to Justice Michael Lee’s finding that “Mr Lehrmann raped Ms Higgins” was to completely ignore it and instead focus on his lesser finding “that the cover-up allegation was objectively short on facts, but long on speculation and internal inconsistencies”.

Journalist Samantha Maiden – who in breaking the rape story unlike The Project interview did not talk of cover-up – said she found it remarkable that Dutton did not mention Brittany Higgins by name and “no words of support into such a grave and serious finding”.

 

[western royboy]

‘Deliberately wicked and calculated’: Ten pursues Lehrmann for costs

Network Ten said in written submissions that the former Liberal staffer had put it “to the cost of defending a baseless proceeding”.

www.theage.com.au

 

[Not Important]

Amazing that these conspiracy theories still continue to gather momentum, despite them being tested in at least one court of law in the criminal trial and if it had any weight, the civil trial.

Carlos Ramos was the cleaner on that night and he stated in the criminal trial that there was a general clean for a party and he had NFI why he needed to clean Reynolds' office, as it was in mint condition.

No mention of this happened at the second civil trial. Why?!

And also, there was no "steam clean"! The couch was leather to start with. Then it was just a clean. And not much of as clean according to Carlos.

Some of these conspiracies are like arguing with flag Earthers and moon landing deniers. They can never be taught!

i give you credit for running a handy pro-reynolds narrative. a "general clean" would not have cleaned the mess that was allegedly left after the rape.

 

[The Cryptkeeper]

Lawyers aren’t cheap would be the short answer.

Reynolds didn’t ask for any of this either, hence why Higgins showed empathy towards Reynolds in her statement today.

Higgins also conceded that her memory was impacted negatively by her rape in her statement. That’s a good step to finding the common ground that they seek.

In my view, the government should reimburse Reynolds for her legal costs and Brown for her legal and medical treatment costs.

It’s not Higgins’ fault that the government paid her $400,000 for hurt, distress and humiliation due to the maltreatment by the ministerial office, but rather due to the lack of due diligence by the government, as this was based on untrue information that wasn’t tested, not even in the slightest. They should rectify their mistake and help Brown and Reynolds out financially (they won’t, I know, as it’s too heavily politicised).

As for the “lying cow payout”, Reynolds can wear that s**t for a poor turn of phrase, even if a considerable chunk of what Higgins said in the two original articles were untruths (unintentionally or otherwise). She can kiss that and her Carla Zampatti jacket goodbye!

But if Reynolds guns for Higgins like some assume she will, then the gloves are off and I’ll join others on the Reynolds is a “vile woman” bandwagon. Just not before!

That's fair.