Liberal Party stalwart Paul Haege has revealed that he invited Bruce Lehrmann as a house guest at his sprawling $30 million mansion for a Liberal fundraiser, but denied he is a secret donor quipping: “Getting money out of me is not easy, ask my wife.”
Mr Lehrmann raised eyebrows this week when he popped up at a Liberal Party function attended by the Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley on Thursday night.
According to the NSW Liberals, the former Liberal staffer is not a current member and the Deputy Liberal Leader had no idea Mr Lehrmann was going to be there.
But it’s now emerged that Mr Lehrmann was invited by Mr Haege, who resides at the Darling Point landmark. Local real estate agents contacted put the value of the property conservatively at least $30 million.
Lands title records confirm the home is owned by Sydney Paper Co Pty Ltd. Paul Haege is Director and majority shareholder.
Contacted by news.com.au on Saturday, Mr Haege said he invited Mr Lehrmann as a guest on Thursday night.
“He was a house guest of mine,’’ he said. “Is that OK?,’’ he said.
However, he said he was not staying at the property and was just invited for the Christmas drinks.
Mr Haege said he was not a financial donor to Mr Lehrmann, who is an unemployed law student.
“Getting money out of me is not easy, ask my wife,’’ he quipped.
Mr Haege is a witty and enduring correspondent in The Australian’s letters pages, where he regularly offers musings on Anthony Albanese and the Labor Party.
“Anthony Albanese has a number of dinners organised with Joe Biden so he may be able to finally find out who’s running America,’’ Mr Haege wrote last month.
“Powerful writing from Paul Kelly (“Legacy of voice’s defeat”, 18/10), which leaves the impression of Anthony Albanese being known henceforth as the ‘Blunder from Down Under’,’’ he wrote three days earlier on October 19.
When asked to provide news.com.au with a picture to illustrate this story, he first sent a black and white childhood photograph, before kindly forwarding a shot of himself holding a giant fish.
The Liberal Party Christmas event was organised by barrister, author and a former Member for Wentworth Peter King.
Mr King held the seat from 2001-2004 before he was dumped in a bitter and brutal preselection wrangle with Malcolm Turnbull.
“He wasn’t invited by us or [Ms Ley]. We were told he was just included by (Mr Hague),’’ Mr King told news.com.au
Mr Hague is a well-known Liberal Party figure, hosting champagne high teas at the Darling Point residence and fundraisers with Tony Abbott for Sydney MP Peter King during his contested preselection.
Ms Ley’s office was not told Mr Lehrmann was in attendance and did not handle the guest list or invitation list.
“The Deputy Leader had no knowledge he would be in attendance and did not interact with him at all,’’ a spokesman for Ms Ley said.
Mr Lehrmann has previously told journalists he was “flattered” by rumours he’s looking to run for federal office in the Sydney seat of Wentworth.
Speculation emerged after he updated his Instagram bio to say he’s a “prospective legacy Liberal MP for Wentworth”, which was apparently in jest in reaction to a comment Brittany Higgins had made about him having political ambitions.
In a five hour recording of a pre-interview with Channel Ten and Lisa Wilkinson in 2021, Ms Higgins could be heard suggesting the ex Liberal staffer would “eventually run for a seat”.
“If enough people can put two and two together, it’ll stop him from getting preselected for the seat of Wentworth, or something, one day,” she said in the recording.
The recording was later subpoenaed as part of the criminal trial and then leaked to Channel 7’s Spotlight program and Sky News in 2023.
“While I hail from country NSW I’m flattered and amused with the prospect,” Mr Lehrmann told Sky News this year.
“But if the good people of Wentworth need help cleaning up from a long and unfortunate period having Malcolm Turnbull and a Teal candidate represent them, then I’m close by.”
News.com.au understands Mr Lehrmann is currently staying at a northern beaches home courtesy of Channel 7. It was recently advertised this year for $2500 a week.
If that amount was multiplied over the year it would be worth $130,000 in rent for Mr Lehrmann.
Mr Lehrmann confirmed in evidence in the federal court on Tuesday that Channel 7’s Spotlight program has been paying his rent for an entire year as part of an arrangement to deliver a “bombshell” interview with host Liam Bartlett.
“And it was part of the agreement, isn’t it, that you were paid for 12 months of accommodation by Channel Seven?’’ barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC asked.
“Yes,’’ Mr Lehrmann replied.
“Yes, that’s what I get. For filming in those places.”
Ms Chrysanthou SC asked what he meant “for filming in those places”.
Mr Lehrmann replied that Seven did some of the filming for the program at the apartment – “the place I was in at the time”.
He said he did not know what the rent paid was worth.
“You don’t know how much you were paid,” Ms Chrysanthou said.
Mr Lehrmann replied that he had “never seen that”.
“Network Seven handles the accommodation arrangements,” he said