In a historic decision in the Federal Court on Monday,Lee upheld Ten and Wilkinson’s truth defence to Lehrmann’s defamation claim over an interview with Higgins broadcast on The Project on February 15,2021.
Lee was satisfied Ten and Wilkinson had proved to the civil standard – on the balance of probabilities – that Lehrmann raped Higgins. He found that Lehrmann was “hell-bent on having sex” with Higgins,had encouraged her to drink,and did “not care one way or another whether Ms Higgins understood or agreed to what was going on”.
Higgins said while her life had been upended by the events of the past five years,it was now time to move forward.
“I was raped. No judgment was ever going to change this truth. I lived with the shame,humiliation and fear of what telling my story would mean for my life and career,like so many other survivors,” she said.
“My health,memory and relationships have been impacted by my rape.
“I was 24 when I was raped in Parliament House. It has been five years of criminal and civil trials and government inquiries for the truth to finally be heard. It is now time to heal.”