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Lisa Wilkinson sues Ten for Bruce Lehrmann defamation costs

Network Ten allegedly owes more than $723,000 to television personality Lisa Wilkinson who claims the broadcaster has refused to pay her legal bill after being sued by Bruce Lehrmann.

The former Liberal staffer has hit Ten and Wilkinson with a Federal Court lawsuit accusing them of defamation through a June 2021 interview on The Project with Brittany Higgins over rape allegations in Parliament House.

During the defamation proceedings, Wilkinson opted to hire separate legal representation than Ten.

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In a NSW Supreme Court lawsuit filed on Thursday, she alleges the television network has refused to pay her legal bills after she retained Gillis Delaney Lawyers partner Anthony Jefferies and barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC in the defamation case.

Wilkinson says her legal costs up to May 30 this year were around $353,000 and that she tallied up a further $370,000 in costs from that date until September 20.

She says Ten is vicariously liable to pay these legal expenses as she is an employee of the company.

In court documents seen by AAP, Wilkinson says Ten first claimed it was not liable to indemnify her for her legal costs given she had separate counsel.

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After receiving advice from high-profile barrister Bret Walker SC, Ten allegedly changed its position, saying it only had to pay the journalist's costs after the lawsuit had been concluded.

Wilkinson claims the broadcaster changed tack again after her lawyers pointed out the "vices" of this position, instead arguing about the details and reasonableness of her legal invoices.

"(Ten) has still not paid (Wilkinson) any amount in respect of any item of work or any dollar of cost and expense described in the invoices and narrations provided to (Ten)," she wrote.

The firm had also not pointed out which legal costs itemised on her invoices were unreasonable in the way she had defended the defamation case.

A spokesperson from Network Ten said that Wilkinson's legal team had asked for a lot of money.

"The lawyers engaged by Lisa Wilkinson have issued invoices for a very substantial amount of money, in excess of $700,000, and in good governance these need to be justified through due process," she said.

"In the meantime, Network Ten's focus is on defending the defamation claim brought by Bruce Lehrmann."

Bruce Lehrmann is suing the ABC, Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson.

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Lehrmann was accused of raping Higgins in the Parliament House office of their then-boss, defence industry minister Linda Reynolds in 2019.

He has always denied the allegations.

Lehrmann has also sued the Australian Broadcasting Corporation for defamation over a joint speech by Higgins and former Australian of the Year Grace Tame at the National Press Club, which was broadcast live on the ABC in February 2022.

The former Liberal staffer claims the reports defamed him, destroying his reputation.

His criminal trial in the ACT Supreme Court was derailed by juror misconduct and prosecutors did not seek a second trial due to concerns over Higgins' mental health.

A landmark report into the ACT legal system and the Higgins case by Walter Sofronoff KC made damning findings against now ex-director of public prosecutions Shane Drumgold over his conduct during the case.

Drumgold has taken legal action against both the ACT government and the board of inquiry headed by Sofronoff in an attempt to overturn these findings.

Sydney man plans to retire early after $30 million Oz Lotto win

A Sydney man is ready to retire early after winning $30 million in Tuesday's Oz Lotto draw.

The resident from Killara in the city's upper north shore held the only division one winning entry nationally in draw 1548.

The entry was unregistered, which meant officials had no way of contacting the winner until they came forward.

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A Sydney man is ready to retire early after winning $30 million in Tuesday's Oz Lotto draw. The resident from Killara in the city's upper north shore held the only division one winning entry nationally in draw 1548.

The instant millionaire said he couldn't believe the magnitude of his win.

"I thought I'd check the numbers on my ticket quickly and I immediately thought something was wrong when the prize came up. I sat there pondering," he told officials at the Lott.

"This is a big surprise. I'm still trying to process it all. I can't believe I've won $30 million.

"I've been in and out of the country for work, and I'm so happy to be back home in Australia.

"I haven't been able to buy an Oz Lotto ticket while working overseas and now that I've purchased this ticket, I've landed this win. I can't believe it.

"I usually only ever win $17 – nothing significant. This is significant."

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The man said an early retirement was on the cards.

"I had plans to continue to travel for work but this prize has changed everything for me," he said.

"I honestly think I might just stay here and retire. Australia is my home"

He bought his ticket at Lindfield Newsagency in Lindfield.

There are many different ways to get help and information about gambling.

Call the National Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858; use online counselling; find information about help services in your state or territory; get information and support for family and friends; get information about how to talk with someone about their gambling; or contact Gamblers Anonymous.

All services are free, confidential and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Julia Gillard's ex-partner convicted of sexual assault of sleeping woman

Julia Gillard's ex-partner Tim Mathieson has been convicted and fined $7000 for the sexual assault of a friend that left her feeling so unsafe she moved interstate.

The 67-year-old formally pleaded guilty in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday.

Mathieson met his victim in 2020 when they were walking their dogs and the pair struck up a friendship, the court was told.

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On March 13, 2022, the woman invited Mathieson over for dinner at her Brunswick East home and the pair drank wine before watching a documentary on her lounge and falling asleep.

The woman woke up to see Mathieson sucking on her nipple while he cupped her breast with his hand.

When she told Mathieson, "Don't do that", and pushed him away, he kept trying to put his mouth back on her breast before she ordered him to get out.

The woman confronted Mathieson about his behaviour the following day and he apologised, saying, "That won't happen again", before she reported the assault to police 10 days later.

Tim Mathieson with then-prime minister Julia Gillard. The couple lived at the Lodge and Kirribilli House throughout Gillard's three-year term as prime minister.

She moved interstate within weeks after feeling unsafe in her home and afraid Mathieson would come back.

The attack rendered the woman completely confused after she made it clear to him she didn't want more than a friendship, she said.

"I felt like the friendship was a lie and I had not been heard," the woman said in a victim impact statement read aloud to the court.

"I was in a state of confusion, anger and feeling completely disrespected."

The woman said she dealt with an eating disorder along with anxiety and feelings of distrust – particularly towards men – after the assault.

The interstate move took a toll on her work and she ultimately relocated overseas to have her family's support and feel safer, she said.

Mathieson's lawyer Brad Penno pushed for his client to be spared a conviction, noting his remorse and unclear recollection of the assault.

Mathieson remembered the incident as "involving affection and cuddling", and regarded his relationship with the woman as close and intimate after they spent time together at both their homes.

However, it was clear the victim was not interested in an exclusive sexual relationship with him, Penno said.

Magistrate Belinda Franjic said his assault was serious and suggested it warranted a conviction.

"It's a particularly intimate form of sexual assault," she said.

"What I'm sentencing for is an episode where a woman is asleep in her own home when … (she) wakes up and sees a (person) she trusted sucking on her breast."

A fortnight after the assault, Gillard told the Adelaide Advertiser the couple had split more than a year earlier.

She and Mathieson, a former hairdresser, were together for a decade and lived at The Lodge and Kirribilli House throughout Gillard's three-year term as prime minister.

Penno on Thursday said the former prime minister met his client, "a talented and creative hairdresser who made an impression", in 2004.

Their relationship was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic after Gillard was given a posting in London.

Police offer $1 million reward over cold case murder of Sydney man

Police investigating the suspected murder of John Giannopoulos in Sydney more than 20 years ago have announced a $1 million reward for information as detectives probe several fresh leads.

The body of Giannopoulos was found by two people inside a unit on King Street, Newtown in the city's inner-west at about 10.30am on July 17, 2002.

Police are seeking to identify a woman believed to be of Indian sub-continental appearance who was captured on CCTV at a 7-Eleven close to Giannopoulos' apartment on the day of his death.

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Police are seeking to identify a woman who was captured on CCTV at a 7-Eleven close to Giannopoulos' apartment on the day of his death.

"We believe this woman may have been in a relationship with John prior to his death, and possibly resided at an address on Audley Street at Petersham with a teenage daughter," NSW Police Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty said.

"I have no doubt there are people who knew Mr Giannopoulos who hold information about the circumstances of his death and are yet to come forward to police; now is the time to speak up."

Doherty said police have re-examined items taken from Giannopoulos' apartment and discovered an unknown man's DNA sample on a drinking glass close to where Giannopoulos' body was found.

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The body of Giannopoulos was found by two associates inside a unit on King Street in Newtown.

No one has been charged in relation to the death of Giannopoulos.

Police said a post-mortem examination revealed the then 72-year-old died from severe head and abdominal injuries.

A coronial inquest in 2006 found Giannopoulos died on or about July 16 in 2002 from several injuries inflicted on him by a person or people unknown to him.

A formal review of the case was carried out in 2018 and new investigation was launched under Strike Force Westminster II.

Police and counter-terrorism minister Yasmin Catley said she hoped the $1 million reward would provide an incentive for someone to come forward and open new avenues of inquiry for detectives.

"Despite having retired from work, John was an active member of the Greek community in Sydney when he was brutally beaten to death in his own home," Catley said.

"His senseless murder left his limited family in Australia without their uncle and his friends and relatives in Greece seeking answers for over two decades.

"The unsolved homicide unit exists so horrific crimes like this are not forgotten, and those responsible are held accountable – irrespective of the passage of time."