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NACC abandons Bruce Lehrmann submarine secrets investigation

Ex-political staffer calls corruption watchdog a 'colossal waste of taxpayer money'

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time2 min
The National Anti-Corruption Commission has dropped its investigation into Bruce Lehrmann over allegations he used classified French submarine secrets for personal gain, ending Operation Ivanhoe. Mr Lehrmann responded by calling for the NACC to be abolished.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has formally abandoned its probe into former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann over allegations he swiped secret documents from the office of former defence minister Linda Reynolds.

The decision was conveyed in a letter to Mr Lehrmann on Monday, bringing an end to Operation Ivanhoe, which began with a raid on his home in June 2024. Authorities seized a blue moleskin diary said to contain eight pages of classified security information.

"The former commissioner decided to take no further action concerning the investigation in Operation Ivanhoe," the NACC's letter stated.

Mr Lehrmann then sued Special Minister of State Don Farrell and then-NACC commissioner Paul Brereton, alleging the raids were an abuse of the watchdog's power. He also claims he was unlawfully forced to give evidence at two secret hearings in Hobart in October 2024.

In response to the NACC's letter, Mr Lehrmann said: "The NACC has been a colossal waste of taxpayer money. Over two years the former commissioner used his powers to personally advance a conspiracy that I was a spy and traitor to the nation, selling defence secrets to foreign countries."

He added: "The NACC needs to be abolished and replaced with nothing."

The investigation began after allegations Mr Lehrmann took the documents in 2019, around the time he was accused of raping colleague Brittany Higgins in Ms Reynolds's Parliament House office. A Federal Court judge found the rape allegation proven on the balance of probabilities in 2024, a finding upheld on appeal. Mr Lehrmann denies the sexual assault claims, which have not been tested in a criminal court.

Mr Lehrmann remains subject to a second NACC investigation, Operation Greenough, into whether federal police misused information during their probe into Ms Higgins's alleged sexual assault. His legal skirmishes with Mr Farrell and Mr Brereton are ongoing.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • The collapse of a high-profile NACC investigation raises questions about the watchdog's use of its powers and the cost to taxpayers.
  • The outcome could influence public and political perceptions of the NACC's effectiveness and accountability.
  • Mr Lehrmann's ongoing lawsuits against senior government figures may test legal boundaries of anti-corruption investigations.

Background

Bruce Lehrmann is a former Liberal Party staffer who was at the centre of a political scandal following allegations he raped colleague Brittany Higgins in 2019. While those allegations were found proven in civil proceedings, Mr Lehrmann has consistently denied them and no criminal charges were laid. In June 2024, the NACC raided his home as part of Operation Ivanhoe, investigating whether he had misused classified documents from the office of former defence minister Linda Reynolds. The NACC has now abandoned that investigation, though Mr Lehrmann remains under a separate probe (Operation Greenough) concerning the handling of the Higgins matter by federal police.

Key Perspectives

Bruce Lehrmann: Argues the NACC investigation was a baseless conspiracy theory and a waste of public money. He wants the commission abolished and is pursuing legal action against those he says abused their power. The NACC: Through its letter, it has stated that no further action will be taken in Operation Ivanhoe. The commission has not otherwise commented on the reasons for dropping the probe. Critics and skeptics: Some may see the abandonment as vindication for Mr Lehrmann or evidence of an overreach by the NACC. Others may argue the investigation was justified given the sensitivity of the alleged leak, and that its collapse leaves unanswered questions about the handling of classified information.

What to Watch

  • The outcome of Mr Lehrmann's lawsuits against Don Farrell and Paul Brereton.
  • The progress and conclusion of Operation Greenough, the separate NACC investigation into federal police conduct.
  • Any political reaction, including calls for reform or abolition of the NACC.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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