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Journalist Lisa Wilkinson tried to use her platform at the Logies to speak up on behalf of Brittany Higgins, who accused her fellow political staffer Bruce Lehrmann of rape. In the process, Wilkinson has undermined the objectivity and legitimacy of the court proceedings. Trial by media is unjust and an affront to our criminal justice system, where the presumption of innocence is key.

One of the greatest victims in this #MeToo age has been the complete undermining of the rule of law. With many in the media now acting as both judge and jury in the Supreme Court of Personal Opinion™, this fundamental tenet of the presumption of innocence has become all but null and void. The latest example of this is that of Lisa Wilkinson, and her speech at this year’s Logies:

Soapbox Antics

As reported in The Australian, the court has now ‘delayed the matter indefinitely on Tuesday, with Supreme Court Chief Justice Lucy McCallum saying Wilkinson had not heeded the advice and “openly referred to and praised the complainant in the present trial” in her acceptance speech.’

The article then goes on to state, ‘Justice McCallum warned the significant publicity had now “obliterated” the distinction between an allegation and a finding of guilt.’ Just as significantly, the article goes on to later state:

Mr Lehrmann has pleaded not guilty to the charge of sexual intercourse without consent and his legal team last year said the ex-Liberal staffer “absolutely and unequivocally denies that any form of sexual activity took place”.

Mr Lehrmann’s barrister, Steve Whybrow, said Wilkinson’s acceptance speech generated more than 800,000 online searches on Monday as well as a strong reaction on Twitter and Instagram.

How can Bruce Lehrmann ever receive a fair trial? What’s more, how can Lisa Wilkinson not be found guilty of being in “contempt of court”? Wilkinson has used her national platform to project — pun intended — a prejudgment on the accused and assume his culpability.

Warren Brown, The Daily Telegraph

Wilkinson and her team seem to be aware of just how serious her actions are legally, as she has now engaged the services of a barrister. As reported in The Australian:

On Wednesday morning, Matthew Collins, president of the Australian Bar Association, was interviewed on the Seven Network’s Sunrise program and said it was a “serious possibility” that authorities might look into charging The Project co-host Wilkinson with contempt of court after her Logies speech on Sunday night, which subsequently resulted in the delay of the trial of the man accused of raping former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins.

Within four hours of his appearance on the breakfast TV show, Dr Collins was approached to represent the Ten Network and Wilkinson.

Sexual assault is an incredibly serious crime. And I don’t know if Mr Lehrmann is innocent or guilty. But that is just the point, is it not? Before a public trial in a proper court of law, neither does Lisa Wilkinson. And neither do you or I. In fact, the rule of law states that we should consider someone to be innocent until such a time in which they have been found to be guilty.

Misandrist Bias

Perhaps Lisa Wilkinson should re-read Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Indeed, maybe the majority of the Australian public would benefit from the exercise.

Mr Mehrmann not only proclaims that he is innocent of sexual assault, but that even no “form of sexual activity took place”. This means that not only is one of them lying, but if Mr Mehrmann happens to be found ‘not guilty’, then he would have every right to sue Wilkinson and Channel Ten for defamation.

Wilkinson’s possible legal transgression is so serious that it needs to be made a public example. Journalists need to stop abusing their positions of influence. And this kind of “trial by media” needs to be stopped. It is completely undermining the justice system of our country. And at the moment, it seems like men in particular are the victims of its targeted feminist assault.