Good afternoon.
Bruce Lehrmann has lost his appeal against a defamation judgment which found on the balance of probabilities that he raped Brittany Higgins. But the full bench of the federal court went further than the defamation trial judge, arguing federal court judge Michael Lee should have found Lehrmann knew Higgins did not consent to sexual intercourse.
The 30-year-old had sued Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson for defamation over an interview with Higgins on The Project in 2021. His lawyer, Zali Burrows, said outside court that her client maintained his innocence and would seek advice on appealing against his defamation loss to the high court.
Top news
Search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 to resume more than 11 years after plane went missing
Australia cagey on second Ashes Test XI with door still open for Pat Cummins’ return
In pictures
A vintage jewel-studded Fabergé egg that belonged to the mother of Russia’s last emperor has been sold for a record £22.9m ($46m) in London. Peter Carl Fabergé is considered the greatest Russian jeweller of the late 19th and early 20th century – and the Winter egg is thought to be one of his most lavish imperial creations.
What they said …
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“Was there a report done from that? Or what, was she checking the firmness of beds?” – David Pocock
The independent senator questioned the Future Fund CEO’s decision to send his former executive assistant on a business-class scoping trip – at a cost of $20,000 – to assess US hotels and negotiate cheaper rates.
Full Story
How Australia’s nature laws deal was done
Last week, Larissa Waters’ party secured a deal with Labor to pass new environment laws – a deal her predecessor didn’t deliver.
The Greens senator talks to Reged Ahmad about what it was like taking over after the dramatic election loss earlier this year and why she compromised to get the reforms over the line.
Before bed read
Gideon Haigh is not happy about proposed changes to the state library in Melbourne, which would cut almost 40 jobs.
“A helluva lot of Victorians feel strongly connected to the library … which is why we are aghast at the apparent enshittification of its core functions,” he writes. “If the suits can come for the State Library of Victoria, they can come for anyone, and no public institution is safe.”
Daily word game
Today’s starter word is: DOC. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply.
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