<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Former political staffer Bruce Lehrmann will head to mediation to push his bid to have the government foot his legal bill following a raid on his home.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The National Anti-Corruption Commission raided his home in June 2024 amid an investigation into allegations that he misappropriated secret documents related to French submarines.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Lehrmann is suing Commissioner Paul Brereton and federal Labour government minister Don Farrell over the legal costs he incurred during the investigation into what he described as "frivolous, James Bond-like allegations".</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/gladstone-queensland-house-fire/f767b7b3-0dc0-42af-8a56-de66c3317c65" target="_blank"><strong><span>Three people dead after house fire in central Queensland</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He claims he was repeatedly told he was entitled to funding for legal representation to defend himself during the investigation, but he still hasn't received any money.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Justice Brigitte Markovic noted it has been a year without a decision from NACC on whether funding would be provided.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She ordered mediation between Lehrmann and Mr Farrell to be held before December 1 in hopes of speeding up the process.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/lehrmanns-next-move-after-anticorruption-raid/2db3f49d-36c9-466b-a184-0ac6f656f801" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Lehrmann welcomed the move, which he believes could be successful in resolving his dispute with the minister.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This is the second time I've proposed mediation with (Farrell).</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>On both occasions, I've been refused," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"If funding had been granted, we may not even be here, and if we can seek a resolution through mediation, then there'll be no need to pursue action as against (Farrell)."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The call for mediation was opposed by the minister's lawyer, who rejected his contention that there was an unreasonable delay in processing the request for funding.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/triple-zero-power-outage-victoria-under-investigation/f2105778-45e9-4fca-9967-50a8da7b2f5b" target="_blank"><strong><span>Union hits out at triple zero outage amid 'delays' to new system</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Lehrmann reminded Justice Markovic that she didn't need their consent to order mediation, prompting her to reply: "I'm well aware of my powers, Mr Lehrmann."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The judge ordered that the mediation be resolved by December 1 and set the matter down for a one-day hearing in February.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Lehrmann agreed to the timetable, noting that if mediation was successful, he would be in "no rush necessarily" to ventilate his claims against Mr Brereton.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The former political staffer, who is "impecunious and in serious financial peril", hopes to receive the requested funding so he can be represented by lawyers at the hearing.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The former political staffer is accused of gathering the confidential information in March 2019, only days after he was alleged to have raped his colleague, Brittany Higgins, in Parliament House.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He has denied the claims, which remain untested in a criminal court after a 2022 trial in the ACT was abandoned due to juror misconduct.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But the Federal Court's Justice Michael Lee found in 2024 that the allegations he raped Higgins were proven on the balance of probabilities and dismissed his defamation suit against Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Lehrmann has appealed against the defamation loss, but a decision is yet to be handed down.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>Support is available from the</span></strong><span> </span><strong><span>National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service</span></strong><span> </span><strong><span>at</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.1800respect.org.au/" title="https://www.1800respect.org.au/"><strong><span>1800RESPECT (1800 737 732)</span></strong></a><strong><span>.</span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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