Bruce Lehrmann reveals his reason why he returned to Parliament House at 1.40am with Brittany Higgins

Bruce Lehrmann has accepted that he lied in an interview with 7News Spotlight in June.

In court on Monday, Mr Lehrmann was asked about a conversation he had with his Parliament House boss, Fiona Brown.

Mr Lehrmann told the court on Monday that he did not tell Ms Brown that he went to work in the early hours of March 23, 2019 - while intoxicated - to make notes on Question Time briefs.

He thought Ms Brown would take that explanation seriously and that the Australian Federal Police may have been involved. Instead, he told her he went to work that night to have a drink.

During his Spotlight interview in June, he was asked why he didn't tell Ms Brown the real reason he went back to Parliament House.

A segment of the interview was played in court during cross-examination by Channel Ten's barrister Matthew Collins KC.

Dr Collins then asked Lehrmann if he had told the truth during his TV interview about his reason for lying to his chief of staff Fiona Brown about the reasons for entering Parliament House after hours.

Mr Lehrmann: 'I can't recall what my mindset was. That interview was very hastily arranged.'

Dr Collins: 'But you accept that you lied?'

Mr Lehrmann: 'Well, it would appear that way. Yes.'

Dr Collins: 'And you knew you were not telling the truth at the time of that interview?'

Mr Lehrmann: 'Well, not necessarily. I just said that. That interview was hastily arranged. It was a very nerve-wracking time for me appearing on national television.'

It was not immediately clear what Mr Lehrmann was accepting to have lied about.

Bruce Lehrmann insists he went back to Parliament House on the night he allegedly raped Brittany Higgins because he received important information while at the pub with colleagues.

Mr Lehrmann gave conflicting accounts to different people about why he went back to work with Brittany Higgins at about 1.40am on March 23, 2019.

He falsely told security he was there at Senator Linda Reynolds' request.

He then told Senator Reynolds and his chief of staff, Fiona Brown, a few days later that he was there to drink whisky.

Mr Lehrmann then told Australian Federal Police in April 2021 that he went back to pick up his keys, and to make notes on Question Time briefs.

In court on Monday, Mr Lehrmann was grilled by Network Ten's barrister Matthew Collins KC why he felt the need to make notes on briefs at 2am.

The court heard Mr Lehrmann had already resigned from his advisor role and Question Time was not scheduled for the following week.

Mr Lehrmann told the court he didn't have any outstanding tasks.

Dr Collins said: 'I want you to tell His Honour what information you learned at The Dock and the 88mph that was so important, that it needed to be jotted down between 1.48 and 2.30am.'

Mr Lehrmann replied: 'Specifically I can't recall, but it had to do with the French submarine contract and the potential interest that Minister Reynolds had in moving that contract to Western Australia for political reasons.'

Dr Collins said: 'Mr Lehrmann there was no need whatsoever to be writing on Question Time folders at 2am on the 23rd of March 2019.'

'I disagree,' Mr Lehrmann said.

Bruce Lehrmann was asked to write a 'show cause' to Senator Linda Reynolds and his chief of staff, Fiona Brown, to explain why he was in the ministerial suite at 1.40am on March 23, 2019.

In the letter, which was tendered to the ACT Supreme Court during his criminal trial last year, Mr Lehrmann was apologetic and explained he experienced financial hardship in a single-parent household.

However, he did not explain what he was doing in the office in the early hours of the morning.

In the Federal Court on Monday, Network Ten's lawyer Mattew Collins KC asked why he didn't tell his superiors what he was doing in the office.

'I can't speak to my state of mind at the time,' Mr Lehrmann told the court.

Dr Collins put to Mr Lehrmann that was false because he had told the security guards through an intercom that he was there on behalf of Senator Reynolds.

'That was false, wasn't it, because you had informed security it was for official purposes on the intercom,' Dr Collins said.

Mr Lehrmann later said: 'Well I was probably trying to play it down, Dr Collins.'

Bruce Lehrmann has denied ignoring phone calls from his boss at Parliament House after losing his job because he feared Brittany Higgins had told her about the alleged rape.

During cross-examination on Monday, Network Ten's barrister Matthew Collins KC accused Mr Lehrmann of intentionally ignoring phone calls from Fiona Brown, his former chief of staff.

Mr Lehrmann was fired on Tuesday, March 26, 2019, because he entered Parliament House at about 1.40am three days earlier, with Ms Higgins.

Ms Higgins alleges he raped her that night. He denies that allegation.

He had accessed Question Time briefs in the early hours of March 23, 2019, while intoxicated.

The situation was classified as a security breach and Mr Lehrmann was sacked following a meeting with Ms Brown on March 26.

On Monday, the Federal Court heard Ms Brown had asked him not to leave Parliament House until he saw her and handed his security pass in. However, he packed his things and left immediately.

Ms Brown tried to call him but he didn't answer.

Dr Collins accused Mr Lehrmann of intentionally ignoring those calls. Mr Lehrmann agreed he didn't answer the phone, but couldn't recall if he ignored the calls or if he simply missed them.

Ten's barrister then suggested that he left Parliament House without speaking to Ms Brown again because he was worried Ms Higgins had told her about the alleged rape.

Mr Lehrmann denied that suggestion.

Dr Collins then accused Mr Lehrmann of failing to answer Ms Brown's calls for the same reason.

Mr Lehrmann denied that suggestion and explained he wanted Ms Brown to speak to him via email because he wanted a record of their conversation regarding the security breach.

The court previously heard Ms Brown instructed him not to bring his phone or electronic devices into the meeting in which he was fired.

Lifestyle editor Laura House writes:

Lisa on Monday arrived at the Federal court in a dusty pink tailored suit with gold hardware paired with a white blouse, black pussybow and conservative beige pumps.

Blush pink is closely aligned with romance, delicacy and ‘sweetness’ with many choosing to don rose-coloured pieces to ooze a more loyal, approachable and gentle persona.

The warmth of the tone moves away from the ‘cutesy’ element of lighter pinks and carries more of a ‘strength’ to it than most. She carried her favourite black leather bag and accessorised in her signature minimalist style with a pair of gold hoops.

She chose to forego her heavy black-rimmed glasses to let the latter shine.

On Friday, Lisa opted for an entirely shamrock green Zara power suit this time with a matching tailored blouse, black designer specs and a black leather designer bag.

Those who wear green often do so to represent more of fresh, prosperous and of course, lucky, aura, with this particular shade signalling a ‘rebirth’ in some fashion circles.

She wore her favourite beige pumps to ensure they didn’t distract from her eye-popping ensemble.

Last Thursday, Lisa embraced Barbie-core in a pastel pink mid-length blazer, hidden buttons and trousers with a conservative split, sensible for the occasion.

This shade of pink promotes a more innocent, playful and feminine vibe, with many choosing to wear this shade in social settings.

She donned a white blouse beneath and paired the look with a small camel bag and sensible gold hoop earrings.

On Wednesday, Lisa paired her parakeet green blouse with a navy blue power suit. Lisa’s ‘fresh, lucky’ green contrasts with the navy, which is worn to establish authority, wisdom and power.

It’s also an unassuming colour and one most agree suits almost every scheme; those who wear it are not only seen by many as an authority figure, but an approachable character.

The dominating shoulder pads were balanced out by her slim-line, tailored trousers and she finished off her ensemble with a pair of sensible black flats, her favourite black leather bag and her black specs.

Network Ten's barrister Matthew Collins KC grilled Bruce Lehrmann over whether he spoke with Brittany Higgins once inside the ministerial suite in the early hours of March 23, 2019.

Mr Lehrmann has long maintained that, once security let them both inside, he went one way and Ms Higgins went the other.

He claims they didn't see each other again that night, while Ms Higgins alleges she fell asleep and woke up to find him raping her.

Mr Lehrmann has continually denied the rape allegations.

During cross-examination on Monday, Dr Collins asked Mr Lehrmann if he spoke with Ms Higgins after Parliament House security let them into then-defence industry minister Linda Reynolds' office that night.

Dr Collins asked Mr Lehrmann if he had told a family friend that he told Ms Higgins he was about to leave the building.

'No,' Mr Lehrmann said.

Dr Collins asked: 'Do you deny that?'

Mr Lehrmann said, 'yes'.

Lisa Wilkinson's defamation barrister, Sue Chrysanthou SC, wants to cross-examine Bruce Lehrmann.

Mr Lehrmann is suing Channel Ten and Lisa Wilkinson over an episode of The Project in 2021, during which Brittany Higgins first aired her rape allegations against him.

He has continually denied the allegations. He was not named in that broadcast, but he claims friends and colleagues were able to identify him as the alleged rapist.

Mr Lehrmann has been on the witness stand for three days so far. His cross-examination by Ten's barrister, Matthew Collins KC, will continue on Monday.

Last week, Ms Chrysanthou told the court she wanted to cross-examine Mr Lehrmann once Dr Collins was finished.

Justice Michael Lee asked her to submit her argument for doing so because Ten and Wilkinson are being sued over the same matter.

On Monday morning, Justice Lee almost laughed as he told Ms Chrysanthou he received her arguments.

'Submitted 12 hours before your honour required them,' she told the judge.

Justice Lee was hesitant to allow MS Chrysanthou to allow her to question Mr Lehrmann because he failed to see how her questions would be any different to Dr Collins' questions.

Ms Chrysanthou argued in court on Monday that her cross-examination would traverse issues that did not concern the network.

Justice Lee said he would allow Ms Chrysanthou to cross-examine Mr Lehrmann, as long as her line of questioning was not a duplication of Ten's cross-examination.

When he gave his reasons, Justice Lee noted that Wilkinson is still employed by Network Ten but said she had not worked there or appeared on television in some time.

Wilkinson arrived at the Federal Court with Ms Chrysanthou on Monday, dressed in a dusty pink power suit.

It was similar to the baby pink power suit she wore on the first day of the hearing last week.

Bruce Lehrmann had offered to settle the defamation case against Channel Ten for $235,000, but the network refused.

Mr Lehrmann's lawyers sent the network a concerns notice in December last year to say he intended to sue for defamation over the episode of The Project in 2021, during which Brittany Higgins made her rape allegations against him.

He has continually denied the allegations.

The concerns notice, published on the Federal Court's website last week, said the former Liberal staffer was willing to resolve the dispute if the network paid him $235,000 worth of damages and covered his legal fees.

He also asked for an apology on the Network Ten letterhead, signed by the executive vice president and chief content officer.

The network responded in January and rejected the offer, claiming Mr Lehrmann was not identifiable as Ms Higgins' alleged rapist.

Network Ten's response, also published on the court's website, said the way questions were phrased to Ms Higgins indicated her statements were 'claims' or 'allegations' rather than 'proven facts'.

'No ordinary reasonable viewer would have understood the [Project interview] as conveying allegations that [Mr Lehrmann] had in fact raped Ms Higgins,' it read.

In his affidavit, tendered to the court in July this year, Mr Lehrmann claimed the broadcast contained 'clear assertions of fact, including an assertation by [Lisa Wilkinson] that the allegations by Ms Higgins were a "serious crime"'.

Bruce Lehrmann is suing Lisa Wilkinson and Network 10 in the Federal Court over her 2021 interview with Brittany Higgins on The Project, during which she publicly alleged for he first time that he raped her in Parliament House in 2019.

While he was not named, he claims friends and former colleagues were able to identify him as the alleged rapist.

He has continually maintained his innocence.

The hearing began on Wednesday. Mr Lehrmann's cross-examination began on Thursday and will continue on Monday.