Former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann has pleaded not guilty to charges of stealing a Toyota Prado four-wheel drive from Mountain River, a rural area in southern Tasmania, on November 20.
Lehrmann appeared via phone at Hobart Magistrates Court alongside his lawyer, Zali Burrows. The charge was brought by Gail Denise Oates, the alleged victim of the stolen vehicle.
Burrows raised concerns about potential contempt of court, citing a media interview given by Oates that allegedly contradicted her official statement. She also questioned why the police redacted the name of the accused from Oates’s statement, describing it as an “unfair” secrecy.
Prosecutor Bunewat Keo noted that Oates had not made further media comments and that Burrows had access to all case files. Magistrate Reg Marron indicated that once Lehrmann entered his plea, more information would be released and the issue of redaction could be revisited.
The magistrate emphasized the case would proceed to a hearing regardless and expressed frustration when Lehrmann initially failed to answer the court’s phone call, instructing Burrows to ensure his presence.
Burrows confirmed Lehrmann’s readiness to plead not guilty to avoid delays. The court was informed the hearing would likely take three days. Lehrmann’s bail was continued, and the next court date was set for September 19.
Lehrmann has been involved in several high-profile legal matters, including a previous trial over the alleged rape of former colleague Brittany Higgins at Canberra’s Parliament House in 2019. That trial was abandoned in 2022 due to juror misconduct. Lehrmann is also appealing a Federal Court ruling that found, on the balance of probabilities, he committed the rape.
