Top columnist slams Lisa Wilkinson as a ‘woke princess’ and should be charged with contempt of court over her Brittany Higgins Logies speech – as The Project host goes to ground
- Another commentator on bandwagon calling for Lisa Wilkinson to be charged
- The Project host could be charged with contempt of court over Logie speech
- Columnist Janet Albrechtsen latest to unleash scathing attack on media veteran
A leading conservative commentator has unleashed an extraordinary attack on ‘woke princess’ Lisa Wilkson as the fallout from her controversial Logies speech enters its second week.
The Project co-host is expected to remain off-air for several weeks after speaking about alleged rape victim Brittany Higgins and her case, as she accepted the Outstanding News Coverage award for her one-of-one interview with the former ministerial staffer.
The Logies speech forced the rape trial which was due to start next week to be rescheduled until October and could result in Wilkinson being charged with contempt of court.
High profile columnist Janet Albrechtsen has joined the growing pile-on from current and former colleagues, rivals and public commentators slamming Wilkinson.
The opinion writer didn’t mince her words when she weighed into the ongoing saga on Monday on whether ACT Director of Public Prosecutions should lay charges against the Network Ten star.
Lisa Wilkinson (pictured) has been branded a ‘woke princess’ in a scathing attack by Australia’s leading conservative commentator
‘If Wilkinson is not charged, it begs the question of whether there is a separate standard for a woke princess?’ Albrechtsen wrote for The Australian.
‘Would a conservative journalist receive the same treatment from the ACT DPP?’
She added there’s one way that will force media vigilantes to ‘pull their heads in’ and put an end to the ‘damaging zealotry’ of trial by media of alleged sexual assault cases .
‘Prosecute those who interfere with the administration of justice,’ Albrechtsen wrote.
‘The rule of law means those laws that protect a fair trial apply equally whether you are a celebrity, a politician or an ordinary citizen.’
Albrechtsen used the example of the late NSW Premier Neville Wran in the 1980s when he commented on a NSW Court of Appeal decision to grant a new trial of his good friend High Court judge Lionel Murphy, who was facing a charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice at the time.
Wran was found guilty of interfering with the administration of justice and fined $25,000.
Prolific columnist Janet Albrechtsen (pictured) has called for ‘media vigilantes’ who interfere with the administration of justice to be prosecuted
Wilkinson hasn’t been on-air since her disastrous Logies speech a week ago.
She’s expected to remain off-air for a ‘minimum of three weeks’ but will continue to work on ‘investigative and human interest’ stories, according to sources.
The network has indicated it ‘fully supports Lisa Wilkinson’ and has hired high-profile lawyer Matthew Collins to act on their behalf.
The network and Wilkinson, 62, have since promised to refrain from further commentary of the case.
The media veteran’s Logies speech contributed to delaying Higgins’s trial against former political staffer Bruce Lehrmann by prejudicing potential jurors.
Lehrmann is accused of raping Ms Higgins in Parliament House in 2019.
He denies these claims and stated in a police interview that he did not have sex with Ms Higgins.
The ACT Supreme Court has since set a new date of October 4 for the trial.
Lisa Wilkinson (pictured arriving at the Logies) is expected to remain off-air for three weeks
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