Lehrman is fighting to protect personal diaries seized during anti-corruption raids on 'James Bond-like allegations

 Lehrman is fighting to protect personal diaries seized during anti-corruption raids on 'James Bond-like allegations'

Former political staffer sues over legal costs incurred during investigation into allegations of misuse of secret documents related to French submarines

Former political staffer Bruce Lehrman is fighting to protect personal diaries seized during a raid on his home by the anti-corruption watchdog.

Image theguardian

The National Anti-Corruption Commission raided his home in June 2024, where he was being investigated on allegations of misuse of secret documents related to French submarines.

Lehrman has denied the allegations and claimed that investigators seized only two handwritten personal diaries during the raid.

The former political staffer told the federal court that the diaries contained confidential information that should not be revealed due to a claim of legal professional privilege.

Lehrman said on Wednesday, "These diaries... could become an issue. I'm concerned that they're in [NACC Commissioner Paul Brereton's] possession."

"My argument is that they should be kept with an independent party and kept separate."

But commission lawyer Bora Kaplan said her client had not received a claim of legal professional privilege from Lehrman.

Justice Brigitte Markovic said she wasn't sure she had the authority to grant the order Lehrman sought and suggested he speak to the commission about the diaries.

She said, "If it's necessary to take this matter to court, that can be done at the appropriate time."

Lehrman is suing Brereton and federal Labor government minister Don Farrell for legal expenses incurred during the investigation into what he described as "absurd, James Bond-esque allegations."

He claims he was repeatedly told he had the right to receive funding for legal representation to defend himself during the investigation, but he has yet to receive any.

Justice Brigitte Markovic said it has been a year since the NACC made a decision on whether funding would be provided.

She ordered mediation between Lehrman and Farrell before December 1st in hopes of expediting the process.

Lehrman welcomed the move, as he believes it could resolve his dispute with the minister.

He said, "This is the second time I have proposed mediation with [Farrell]. I was turned down on both occasions."

"If the funding had been available, we probably wouldn't even be here, and if we had been able to reach a solution through mediation, there would have been no need to take action against [Farrell]."

The call for mediation was opposed by the minister's lawyer, who rejected his argument that there had been an unreasonable delay in processing the request for funds.

Lehrman reminded Justice Markovic that he did not need his consent to order mediation, to which he replied: "Mr. Lehrman, I am well aware of my powers."

The judge ordered the mediation to be resolved by December 1 and scheduled a hearing for a day in February.

Lehrman agreed to the timetable, stating that if mediation was successful, he would "not be required" to present his claims against Brereton.

The former political staffer, who is "indigent and in dire financial straits," hopes to receive the requested funds so he can be represented by lawyers at the hearing.

The former political staffer is accused of gathering confidential information in March 2019, just days after the alleged rape of his colleague, Brittany Higgins, in Parliament House.

He has denied these claims, which have not been tested in criminal court because a 2022 trial in the ACT was cancelled due to juror misconduct.

Federal Court Judge Michael Lee found in 2024 that his allegations of rape by Higgins were proven based on probabilities and dismissed his defamation suit against Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson.

Lehrman has appealed his loss in the defamation case, but no decision has yet been reached.