It was the bombshell interview with Bruce Lehrmann that promised viewers “nothing was off limits” but it has now emerged the broadcaster left out the night when a Network Seven credit card was used to book the former Liberal staffer a $1000 Thai masseuse.
A Spotlight credit card was used by an employee, who has since left Network Seven, to book a masseuse for Mr Lehrmann in November, 2022. The credit charge was without the knowledge or consent of executive producer Mark Llewellyn.
The incident prompted attempts by the Spotlight team to reverse the transaction when the employee owned up to using the credit card to pay for the masseuse.
Spotlight producer Steve Jackson, who was not present on the night and did not authorise or have any knowledge of the use of the credit card, then suggested the employee ask the Thai masseuse to reverse the transactions the next day and “pay cash instead” to remove the transaction from the credit card in keeping with the network’s expense policies.
Mr Jackson, who has recently been appointed as the NSW Police commissioner Karen Webb’s new spin doctor, suggested to the employee at the time the masseuse be paid “a bonus” of $250 to facilitate the different payment method.
During the text exchange, Mr Jackson provided the Seven employee with a Google translation of how to tell the worker in Thai: “I pay you cash instead.”
News.com.au understands Seven has already dealt with the incident.
Mr Lehrmann has told The Australian newspaper that he was in Sydney and did meet with Seven producers on the night in question, but insisted any suggestion be got a massage was “untrue.”
“It’s an untrue and bizarre story from a disgruntled ex-Network Seven producer,” he said. “Network Seven have only ever covered reasonable travel for filming and accommodation.”
In November, 2022, Seven became aware that a Spotlight program employee had used a Seven credit card to purchase personal services, without the knowledge of anyone else at the Network.
When informed about this, Seven insisted that the employee pay for the services themselves and repay the credit card in line with the Seven Network’s expenses policy.
The producer was counselled and provided with a written warning. It is understood that Seven considers the matter has been dealt with appropriately.
The Spotlight credit card, which is provided to multiple staff for work on assignment on their Apple Pay wallet, was used to book the massage therapists to attend an Elizabeth Bay address.
Two Thai masseuses were booked – one for Mr Lehrmann and another for a Seven employee – while the pair engaged in negotiations over the exclusive interview that later snared Spotlight a nomination for a prestigious journalism award before it was rescinded.
There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by Mr Lehrmann, who has been contacted for comment.
“Let’s light some fires,” said Mr Lehrmann in June, during the first instalment of his two-part “bombshell” interviews on Network Seven’s flagship Spotlight program.
“Everything needs to be out there, in the open, so people can assess this for what it is.”
Former 60 Minutes reporter Liam Bartlett fronted the first television special with the man who was accused of the rape of Brittany Higgins at Parliament House.
News.com.au does not suggest that Bartlett had any knowledge at any time that a colleague booked Mr Lehrmann a Thai masseuse during the negotiations in the lead up to the interview, that was conducted several months later after a contract was signed to pay Mr Lehrmann’s rent in May, 2023.
Mr Lehrmann pleaded not guilty, was never convicted and the charge against him was dropped in December, 2022. He maintains his innocence.
At the time the Network Seven credit card was used to book the two masseuses, Mr Lehrmann had recently learned that the rape trial following Brittany Higgins’ allegations had collapsed as a result of juror misconduct.
He was still facing the prospect of a second trial, but that threat was removed just a few weeks later when the Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold announced he would drop the rape charge citing mental health concerns over the impact of a second trial on Ms Higgins.
Queensland police were trying to contact his lawyers at the time over a separate rape allegation in Toowoomba that did not become public until January, 2023. Mr Lehrmann maintains his innocence in that matter as well.
Mr Lehrmann had attended the Elizabeth Bay address, the family home of a Seven employee, on a Friday night, November 25, with the social event spilling into the next morning.
The total amount paid in one night for Mr Lehrmann and the Seven staffer appears on the Spotlight credit card as $2940 in multiple transactions of $1000.
When the Seven employee confessed to bosses about the use of the credit card while Mr Lehrmann was being encouraged to sign on for an exclusive interview, attempts were made to reverse the transaction.
News.com.au understands Mr Jackson then suggested to the Seven employee ways to repay the money or remove the transaction as the original payment was not consistent with the network’s expenses policies. There is no suggestion Mr Jackson was involved in any wrongdoing.
He suggested that the employee who had used the credit card should contact the masseuse again and tell her “I pay you cash instead.”
However, it was ultimately decided that it was better if the employee simply reimbursed the money to Network Seven.
The $2940 was then refunded to the Spotlight EP’s Network Seven credit card in multiple transactions three days later on November 29.
One year later, it emerged Seven’s Spotlight program had been paying Mr Lehrmann’s rent for a year as part of an arrangement to deliver the two-part interview.
Under the agreement he also agreed to provide “all information, documents, video and photographs” reasonably requested by Seven.
However, Mr Lehrmann said he did not provide information, documents, video or photographs, and only provided an interview.
In evidence to the Federal Court, Mr Lehrmann confirmed that Network Seven had been paying for his rental accommodation after the exclusive interview aired in May, 2023.
“And it was part of the agreement, isn’t it, that you were paid for 12 months of accommodation by Channel 7?,” barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC asked.
“Yes,” Mr Lehrmann replied.
“And it was part of the agreement, isn’t it, that you were paid for 12 months of accommodation by Channel 7?”
“Yes, that’s what I get,” Mr Lehrmann replied.
Ms Chrysanthou SC asked if the agreement to pay Mr Lehrmann’s rent in the contract was from June 2023 to June 2024.
“Umm, well, yes. For filming in those places,” he replied.
Asked how much the year’s rent was worth, Mr Lehrmann said he didn’t know because the “network handled the accommodation arrangements”.
Executive producer Mark Llewellyn told news.com.au in May that Network Seven had not paid Mr Lehrmann for the exclusive interview.
“No one was paid,” Mr Llewellyn told news.com.au.
“7NEWS Spotlight made no payment to Bruce Lehrmann for the interview, however the program assisted with accommodation as part of the filming of the story.”
Mr Llewellyn was not present on the night the masseuse was hired, and did not authorise the use of the credit card. There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing on his behalf.
A promo for the first television interview stated: “Bruce Lehrmann has never told his side of the story. Not one, single word. Now, he’s breaking his silence.”
TV journalist Liam Bartlett claimed at the beginning of the interview that “nothing was off limits”.