David Sharaz’s ‘highly confidential’ email to Lisa Wilkinson is released by court – including his paranoid warning about stalking Bruce Lehrmann online
Brittany Higgins’ partner David Sharaz discussed chasing the ‘Liberal Party machine’ in his first pitch to journalist Lisa Wilkinson.
More than 100 documents containing emails and text exchanges between the Network Ten star, executives and producers were released by the court on Thursday evening, pulling back the curtain on how the 2021 report on Ms Higgins was put together.
Bruce Lehrmann is suing Network Ten and the Project’s former presenter over the broadcast of the program in which Higgins published rape allegations against him at Parliament House in 2019.
The program didn’t mention him.
David Sharaz (rear, wearing glasses) arrives with his fiancée Brittany Higgins’ legal team at the defamation trial of Bruce Lehrmann in December 2023. Mr Sharaz had spoken in his first pitch to The Project journalist Lisa Wilkinson about pursuing the ‘Liberal Party Machine’.
The first email with the subject line “MeToo, Liberal Party, Project Pitch” was sent by Mr Sharaz to Ms Wilkinson on the morning of January 18.
He did not identify Ms Higgins, who he said knew she would no longer be able to continue working for the party once she resubmitted her complaint to police.
“I have a sensitive story involving a sexual assault at Parliament House,” Sharaz wrote.
‘She asked me to tell the story this year.
“The girl has been through a lot, and I am doing everything I can to make sure this is done right, as it is not easy going after the Liberal Party machine.
He said his experience as a former Sky News employee gave him “insight” that Ms Higgins “only pulled the trigger once before they would try to discredit and shut down the story.”
“I can say this: this is the first time something like this has happened under Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s watch. He can no longer use the excuse: ‘This is a bubble’ issue, or ‘this was before my time’.
Ms Wilkinson responded a few hours later, saying she was “very keen” to investigate the story further.
Lisa Wilkinson (left) arrives at the Federal Court of Australia in Sydney during the defamation trial of Bruce Lehrmann in December 2023
In another email sent a day later by Mr Sharaz, he indicated Ms Higgins wanted the story to air in March so that “Brittany can leave Canberra and be with her father in Queensland”.
“Brittany knows this will blow her life up. She is terrified of the party but wants to make sure no other woman is attacked in Parliament House.”
In a correspondence forwarded by Wilkinson to The Project’s producers on January 20, entitled ‘HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL Canberra Story’, she noted that there was ‘a lot to work with here’.
Later that day, Mr Sharaz sent Ms Wilkinson a link to Mr Lehrmann’s LinkedIn, warning her not to access the profile unless she set her account to private “or he will be notified”.
“I went to his Facebook and saved some pictures of him in case we need him,” he wrote, attaching the photos.
Ms Wilkinson later forwarded the email to producers Craig Campbell and Angus Lllewlyn.
“Here’s our man,” she said.
Wilkinson’s interview with Ms Higgins was at the center of the five-week defamation trial that concluded on December 22.
The parties are now awaiting a ruling from Federal Court Judge Michael Lee.
The criminal trial against Mr. Lehrmann was aborted in 2022 due to jury misconduct. A retrial was halted due to concerns about Ms Higgins’ mental health.
Mr. Lehrmann has consistently denied the allegations.