The ACT Integrity Commission has initiated an investigation into the conduct of Hon Walter Sofronoff KC, who chaired the inquiry into the criminal trial of Bruce Lehrmann. The investigation, led by Michael Adams KC, the ACT's integrity commissioner, centers on Sofronoff's decision to distribute a preliminary report of his findings to media outlets before its official release by ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr in 2023.
Walter Sofronoff had reviewed the handling of the case by former ACT Director of Public Prosecutions, Shane Drumgold. Lehrmann had been accused of raping Brittany Higgins in Parliament House in 2019 but pleaded not guilty. The charges were eventually dropped following a mistrial caused by jury misconduct.
The leaked report, which was critical of Drumgold and led to his dismissal, was shared with journalists at ABC and The Australian, under an agreement of confidentiality until the official release. The report was nevertheless publicized prematurely. The Integrity Commission will examine whether Sofronoff’s actions breached the Inquiries Act 1991 and if they constituted corrupt conduct under the Integrity Commission Act 2018.
Additionally, it was revealed that during the inquiry, Sofronoff had numerous interactions with Janet Albrechtsen, a columnist for The Australian. This raised concerns about potential bias in the inquiry's conclusions which criticized Drumgold's conduct and subsequently impacted his legal battle and resignation.