Lisa Wilkinson has been a regular fixture on primetime television for decades. From her time as host of Nine’s The Today Show to her transition five years ago to Ten’s The Project.
But despite appearing on lighter news programs, Wilkinson is far from a lightweight journalist. She has reported on some of the biggest stories of our time. In recent years, this has included the recent bushfire and flood crises, Australia’s navigation of the pandemic and the #EnoughIsEnough campaign, with women calling time on a long history of gender inequality and misconduct.
But it was her groundbreaking interview in 2021 with former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins that changed things irreversibly for Wilkinson.
Aired on The Project, the story lifted the lid on an alleged culture of abuse within Parliament House and the specific rape allegations made by Higgins against a former Liberal colleague, Bruce Lehrmann (his name kept anonymous at the time).
Wilkinson was praised widely. Winning the Logie for most outstanding news coverage or public affairs report that year, she used her speech to publicly rally behind Higgins again.
In the speech, Wilkinson thanked Higgins for trusting her and “The Project” team with the story, and for changing the national conversation around allegations of sexual abuse.
But Wilkinson’s words immediately drew criticism, with QC Dr Matthew Collins (who later went on to represent Wilkinson) predicting that the journalist’s comments had the “tendency to interfere with the administration of justice”.
“The mainstream media … understand the risk inherent in talking about cases that are about to go to trial before the court, particularly high-profile cases. So clearly this was ill-advised,” Collins told Seven’s Sunrise.
“It’s certainly possible that the authorities will be looking at the speech that she made to the Logies and assessing that speech against the standard which applies in this branch of the law.”
Lehrmann’s lawyers later successfully argued the speech was a potential “contempt of court” with the trial postponed as a result.
Since this period in April, Wilkinson has been subjected to heightened trolling and public vitriol. The attacks have been sickeningly personal and relentless. Ultimately, the veteran journalist confirmed the toll these events had taken last night, with her announcing plans to step away from The Project and focus on family.
“Sitting at this desk and working with this incredible team – both in front of and behind the camera – has been an absolute privilege,” Wilkinson said.
“To be clear, I’m not leaving Ten, and we’re looking at some exciting work ideas ahead, but I have to be honest with you … the last six months have not been easy… and the relentless targeted toxicity by some sections of the media has taken a toll. Not just on me, but on people I love.”
Wilkinson also noted her unwavering commitment as a journalist and intention to always try to do the right thing.
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m not above criticism, far from it. I’m human, and I don’t always get it right, none of us do, but by God I’ve tried”, she said.
While of course journalists and media should be held to account on what they report, a mass exodus of female journalists from prime roles in recent months, begs the question: Why is scrutiny so much fiercer and more sinister for women?
In June, one of ABC’s most acclaimed presenters, Leigh Sales, ended her 12-year tenure as host of 7:30 after years of social trolling. Months later, Nine’s A Current Affair host Tracy Grimshaw announced she’d be stepping aside from the show she’d led for 17 years. And in October, founding co-host of The Project, Carrie Bickmore also announced she’d be leaving the program after 13 years.
Earlier this year, ABC reporter Patricia Karvelas said she’d witnessed “an unprecedented level of hyper partisanship and attacks on journalists” during the election.
As a woman, as well as someone who runs a digital news business, watching these attacks play out in realtime has been devastating. As Wilkinson notes, we are all human and we’re fallible.
But are we really satisfied with this being the outcome of human fallibility?