Lisa Wilkinson has claimed victory. Who is she kidding?

Reading a prepared connection extracurricular the Federal Court connected Monday, broadcasting doyenne Lisa Wilkinson – precise Meghan Markle stealth wealthiness successful a pick slacksuit – was predictably self-assured.

Minutes earlier, Justice Michael Lee had dismissed Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation case against Wilkinson and Channel Ten implicit a 2021 communicative connected The Project, successful which Brittany Higgins claimed she was raped by a Liberal staffer.

Sue Chrysanthou, SC, hugs Lisa Wilkinson arsenic they look from the Federal Court connected Monday.Credit: Getty Images

“Today the national tribunal has recovered that I published a existent communicative astir a rape,” Lisa said.

“I sincerely anticipation this judgement gives spot to women astir the country.”

Then she thanked her lawyer, household and the “generous members of the nationalist who person approached maine astir each azygous time to explicit – often done tears – their unwavering support”.

Lisa, I privation I could accidental I was 1 of those blubbering randoms offering the unwavering support. I respect your longevity and grit successful the toughest of media worlds. But portion I, for one, americium hesitant to diss different woman, particularly a chap seasoned hack, I request to softly telephone BS connected your triumph speech.

First up, large yes, yes, yes to the rape finding. Of people women everyplace would beryllium relieved and delighted 1 of america was believed astir a rape, adjacent successful a civilian lawsuit to a little modular of proof. It’s a unspeakable statistic that lone 1 successful 10 reported cases of intersexual battle successful Australia ends successful a conviction.

But the uncovering had thing to bash with thing you did oregon said. It came down to what Justice Lee recovered constituted consent.

And it was a batch to assertion information astir a TV amusement that weaponised and monetised the agendas of 2 women – you and Brittany – who emerged from the blast portion with a Logie, a publication woody and astir $2.5 cardinal successful compo betwixt you, but that ruined the careers and intelligence wellness of others.

I wonderment however overmuch spot the uncovering gave Fiona Brown, who was main of unit successful Senator Linda Reynolds’ bureau erstwhile Higgins was raped determination astatine Parliament House?

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The vocation nationalist servant’s beingness imploded aft Wilkinson and The Project took Higgins’ claims against Brown astatine look value.

She was the lone large subordinate successful the ghastly circus praised without preservation by Lee, who said Brown did her nonrecreational champion and had integrity: “To beryllium aboriginal vilified arsenic an unfeeling apparatchik consenting to propulsion up roadblocks successful covering up transgression behaviour astatine the behest of one’s governmental overlords indispensable beryllium worse than galling.”

I would person respected Lisa much if she’d had the humility successful triumph to accidental extracurricular court, “I besides request to recognise Fiona Brown and the effect our unfair portrayal of her had.”

Surely, her barrister would person been capable to constitute a condemnation that ensured a incorrect was addressed without Wilkinson putting herself successful the weapon for different defamation lawsuit.

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Couple of thoughts for Lisa: it’s antithetic to assertion a triumph for information moments aft Lee said it was partially reliant connected speculation and conjecture.

And if you’re going to beryllium for each women, you person to admit erstwhile you f––- implicit different women. We don’t request you to spell backmost to your Dolly and Cleo days, telling women however to delight men successful furniture and driblet a formal size by Saturday, conscionable to your relation successful this inglorious schemozzle.

His honour was bang connected erstwhile helium said Lisa acted little arsenic an experienced journalist, much arsenic a champion of Higgins.

News journos aren’t expected to marque the communicative astir themselves. Despite her seniority, Lisa did. She inserted herself into the wider narrative, ignored the wide thought that impartiality is required, delayed a transgression proceedings with her Logies speech.

As Lee enactment it, she had a deficiency of nonrecreational scepticism oregon rigour successful analysing Higgins’ allegations. That’s the abbreviated version.

Lisa’s not listening if she thinks the determination was a implicit vindication of her story.

She’s not listening if she thinks women applaud sloppy journalism – oregon that they’re not thinking, “if this is what goes connected erstwhile you study a intersexual assault, I’m perfectly not coming guardant erstwhile it happens to me”.

Kate Halfpenny is the laminitis of Bad Mother Media.

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