Bruce Lehrmann says he is considering seeking multiple millions in compensation because he may never work again.
The former political staffer told Channel 7’s Spotlight on Sunday night his reputation had been destroyed even though he was “innocent”.
“It will have to be a multimillion-dollar claim because I have to consider the very real possibility I may never work again. Not that I might have 40 years be able to work again, so that needs to be factored in,” Mr Lehrmann said.
“After being smeared and slammed for the last two or three years now.
“I am innocent… If we were able to have a fair trial and a trial at all, I’m entirely confident it would have… rendered a not-guilty verdict for me.”
Mr Lehrmann was speaking after damning findings of an inquiry by Walter Sofronoff into his rape trial were released last week.
Mr Sofronoff made several serious findings of misconduct against chief prosecutor Shane Drumgold, including that he had lost objectivity and did not act with fairness and detachment as was required.
Former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins had accused Mr Lehrmann, her former colleague, of raping her inside a ministerial office at Parliament House after a night out in 2019.
Mr Lehrmann has always denied the allegation.
In October 2022, Mr Lehrmann faced a criminal trial in the ACT Supreme Court but juror misconduct derailed the proceedings and the trial was discontinued.
Mr Drumgold ultimately dropped the prosecution against Mr Lehrmann, fearing the impact of a second trial on Ms Higgins’ mental health.
On Sunday night, Mr Lehrmann did not give a compensation figure but when pressed by journalist Liam Bartlett who asked, “Six million?”, Mr Lehrmann responded: “Yeah.”
Mr Lehrmann also did not specify from whom he would potentially seek compensation.
The program also spoke to Ms Higgins’ former boss Senator Linda Reynolds who complained that she had been cast as the “villain” of the story.
Senator Reynolds said was shattered when legations that a rape occurred in her office were broadcast on Channel Ten’s The Project.
“It more than hurt, it completely devastated me, the allegations that were aired about me,” she said.
“You cannot think of anything worse or a worse allegation of any woman that you covered up the rape of a young woman in your own office.”
Senator Reynolds accused Ms Higgins and journalist Lisa Wilkinson of setting their sights on her.
“I was the perfect villain. None of it was absolutely true,” said Senator Reynolds.
“Every good story like this needs a villain, how that was set up, with Ms Higgins and Lisa Wilkinson.”
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