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The Seven Network penned a glowing reference for a Spotlight producer nearly a year after the employee allegedly charged $2900 on a company credit card for two Thai masseuses.
In the latest twist to the bizarre saga, it has also emerged that former Spotlight colleagues say the producer, Taylor Auerbach, was flown to Tasmania by Seven to play golf with Bruce Lehrmann in December, 2022, just weeks after he allegedly used the Seven credit card without the knowledge or consent of Spotlight executives.
Mr Lehrmann has told journalists that he did meet with Seven producers on the night in question, but insisted any suggestion he got a massage was “untrue”. There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by Mr Lehrmann in his dealings with Spotlight.
“Network Seven have only ever covered reasonable travel for filming and accommodation,’’ Mr Lehrmann said.
And now a glowing reference praising the current affairs producer has emerged, prepared by the Seven news boss Craig McPherson, who is also the husband of network star Sonia Kruger.
In the reference, McPherson praises Auerbach’s “creative flair” and writes he was “professional” and “diligent”.
It makes no mention of the night the producer allegedly dined with Mr Lehrmann in Paddington before making the short trip to his Elizabeth Bay apartment and running up the charges on the Spotlight credit card around 1am, without the knowledge or consent of Spotlight executives or Seven.
“Taylor Auerbach was first employed by the Seven Network at the end of 2018,’’ McPherson writes.
“Taylor was a professional, diligent team member. His creative flair was enhanced by his determination to deliver for the programs he worked across.”
News.com.au does not suggest McPherson was alerted to the masseuse allegations before writing the reference. The news boss has been contacted for clarification.
Seven has claimed the employee, identified in the media as Auerbach, received a written warning after he booked two masseuses in the company of Mr Lehrmann.
But to date, no documentation has emerged to support the Network Seven’s claim that any formal written warnings were ever issued in relation to that incident.
Instead, colleagues claim that following the Cipri Italian dinner and the after-party at Elizabeth Bay on November 25 and the early hours of November 26, Auerbach was indeed sent to Tasmania by Seven to play golf with Lehrmann as the network sought to seal the deal.
Seven insiders claim the masseuse issue played no documented role in Auerbach’s departure from the network in August, nearly nine months after the Thai masseuse credit charges were reversed.
News.com.au has contacted Auerbach for comment.
It was November 25, 2022, when Mr Lehrmann joined Spotlight executive producer Mark Llewellyn, producer Auerbach and Mr Lehrmann’s then media adviser John Macgowan for a get-to-know-you lunch at Cipri Italian, in Paddington.
Seven had also put Mr Lehrmann up at a hotel in the city.
The Italian restaurant is a short distance away from the Elizabeth Bay property, which features stunning harbour views and an imposing antique grand piano.
After Llewellyn went home, Mr Lehrmann and Auerbach attended the Elizabeth Bay address.
Two Thai masseuses were called to the property with payment finalised around 1am.
The incident prompted attempts by the Spotlight team to reverse the transaction when the employee owned up to using the credit card to pay for the masseuse.
Spotlight producer Steve Jackson, who was not present on the night and did not authorise or have any knowledge of the use of the credit card, then suggested the employee ask the Thai masseuse to reverse the transactions the next day and “pay cash instead” to remove the transaction from the credit card in keeping with the network’s expense policies.
Jackson, who has recently been appointed as the NSW Police commissioner Karen Webb’s new spin doctor, suggested to the employee at the time the masseuse be paid “a bonus” of $250 to facilitate the different payment method.
During the text exchange, Jackson provided the Seven employee with a Google translation of how to tell the worker in Thai: “I pay you cash instead.”
Auerbach was employed by Sky News in January, but left the news channel to pursue other opportunities on Friday.
The wooing of Mr Lehrmann by Network Seven for a contract to pay his rent for a year is detailed not only in documents published by the Federal Court but also on the Instagram account of Spotlight executive producer Mr Llewellyn.
On April 15, 2022, Llewellyn took his wife to the races at Royal Randwick where he snapped himself with Mr Lehrmann lurking in the background of selfies.
“Some low profile bloke in the background,’’ Llewellyn quipped on his Instagram account.
Mr Lehrmann also documented the day at the races on his own Instagram account, posting a picture of Llewellyn and his wife sipping a drink that is captioned “a lot of study and number crunching into today’s bets” followed by a laughter emoji.
Less than a week later, on April 21, documents published by the Federal Court confirm he signed his exclusive deal.
When the story aired on June 4, 2022, Mr Lehrmann attended a “viewing party” at Llewellyn’s house attended by senior executives and high profile barristers.
The interview with Mr Lehrmann was nominated for a Walkley Award and named as a finalist but did not win the award. However, after the Federal Court heard Lehrmann’s rent had been covered for a year in exchange for exclusive access, the nomination was revoked.
Controversy had previously flared in relation to a Spotlight entry to the Kennedy Foundation over an interview with Melissa Caddick’s hairdresser husband Anthony Koletti, which won scoop of the year. It was later revealed Koletti was paid $150,000 by the Seven Network.
Caddick, a financial adviser, stole up to $30 million through an investment scam without Koletti’s knowledge and then disappeared.
The Australian Financial Review reported last year that ahead of his own appearance on Spotlight, that Koletti also started doing Lehrmann’s hair.
Reporter Taylor Auerbach previously hit the headlines after he was filmed outside a Wollongong courthouse being kicked by a 74-year-old man.
“You don’t need to kick me sir,” Auerbach says, somewhat redundantly.
“I kick you again … because you are idiot,” the man replies.
“Sir, were you a soccer player in your younger days?” the reporter asks — which makes Kovachevski change tack, instead punching, smacking and slapping Auerbach upside the head.
“Sir there’s no need to punch me,” he pleads.
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