Bruce Lehrmann's TV interview 7News Spotlight: Lisa Wilkinson's secret talk ... trends now

Bruce Lehrmann has finally revealed what he really thinks about Brittany Higgins' rape allegations against him in his first-ever TV interview - which included explosive claims the former colleagues were seen 'kissing' on a couch at a nightclub.

Mr Lehrmann broke his two-year media silence in an interview with 7News Spotlight on Sunday night, with Liam Bartlett grilling him over his version of events.

Ms Higgins alleges she was raped by Mr Lehrmann in Parliament House after a night out in 2019. Mr Lehrmann has always maintained his innocence.

The former parliamentary staffer has remained quiet about the night in question, speaking only in a recorded interview with police in 2021 - which was played before the ACT Supreme Court during his criminal trial in October last year.

Now, Mr Lehrmann has responded to a number of direct questions, including: Did you rape Brittany Higgins? Did you have consensual sex? Did you kiss her? Were you intimate with her at all?

To each question, Mr Lehrmann replied 'no'.

The network also aired never-before-seen security footage from Parliament House on the night of the alleged assault, along with claims from an eyewitness who supposedly saw the pair kissing earlier that evening.

A recording of a five-hour lunch Ms Higgins had with Lisa Wilkinson and two others was also played - during which Wilkinson said her motivation to air Ms Higgins' allegations was driven by 'people who deserve to be heard, not being heard'.

Mr Lehrmann also accused Ms Higgins of 'lying' about a large bruise on her leg.

Lisa Wilkinson's secret meeting

Brittany Higgins and her boyfriend David Sharaz had a five-hour lunch with Lisa Wilkinson and Channel 10 producer Angus Llewellyn a few days prior to her interview on The Project on February 15, 2021 - when she first aired her rape allegations.

The lunch was recorded, and subsequently played during the Spotlight special on Sunday night.

In the recording, the group could be heard laughing and joking about the inner workings of Parliament House, a former colleague's last name, and calling Mr Lehrmann a 'predator' - despite the unproven allegations. 

Mr Sharaz also asked Wilkinson what she wanted out of the interview, to which she replied: 'The inequality that exists out there, whether it's white privilege, whether it's male domination, whether it's you know criminal activity that is suppressed.

'I'm a girl from the western suburbs of Sydney. I'll always be motivated by exactly the same thing. People who deserve to be heard, not being heard.'

At one point during the lengthy meeting, Wilkinson told Ms Higgins she didn't want to 'to put words in your mouth' but continued on to say she wanted her to discuss the culture of Parliament House.

'I have every confidence that you will answer that very eloquently, but it's one you just need to really think about,' Wilkinson could be heard saying.

'I don't want to put words in your mouth, but if you can enunciate the fact that this place is all about suppression of people's natural sense of justice.'

Ms Higgins could be heard saying she was worried about the prospects of conviction, but believed she might win if Mr Lehrmann took her to civil court.

'If he wants to go after me, like on a civil basis, I think, on the balance of probabilities, I think I could win. I think it's - if the onus of proof is beyond a reasonable doubt, I think that would be different. I don't think I could win that,' Ms Higgins said.

In an extract of the recording that was played at the trial, Mr Sharaz said that if the story broke in a parliamentary sitting week, 'they have to answer questions at question time, it's a mess for them'.

'I've got a friend in Labor, Katie Gallagher on the Labor side, who will probe and continue it going,' Mr Sharaz said.

Wilkinson could also be heard criticising former deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop.

'The biggest frustration that I have with Julie is that she had so many opportunities to speak out against the culture,' she said.

'And for one woman too, what was she, deputy to 13 different prime ministers over the course of her time in parliament?'

Mr Sharaz interjected: 'Always loyal too. Bridesmaid, never the bride.'

Wilkinson replied: 'The minute she was out of there [she said], "Oh, it's really sexist." I tried to get her on the record with that so many times when she could've actually affected change, and she wouldn't.'

The group then started speaking about whether Ms Bishop would speak out, or whether she would back Michaelia Cash and Linda Reynolds.

'They're all Perth girls,' Ms Wilkinson said, but Ms Higgins offered, 'They were never friends.'

'I don't know why, but they never liked each other,' Ms Higgins could be heard saying.

Mr Sharaz then added: 'Julie doesn't have any friends.'

During the criminal trial in the ACT Supreme Court last year, Ms Higgins was questioned about the five-hour conversation: 'That wasn't the actual interview itself and I didn't sign a stat dec [statutory declaration] on this. This is just us talking.'

The bruise on Ms Higgins' leg

In 2021, The Project aired a photo of a large bruise on Ms Higgins leg. She said the bruise came from the night she was allegedly assaulted, and was allegedly caused by Mr Lehrmann's knee against her leg.

During Mr Lehrmann's interview on Sunday night, Mr Bartlett said: 'This bruise suggested in no uncertain terms

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