Afternoon Update: Seven paid Bruce Lehrmann’s rent for a year, court hears; prominent Australians sign antisemitism letter; gender pay gap decreases

Bruce Lehrmann is seen during a break at the federal court in Sydney on Tuesday. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAP

Good afternoon. Bruce Lehrmann faced high-profile barrister, Sue Chrysanthou SC, for the first time in day five of his defamation trial against Network Ten and Chrysanthou’s client, Lisa Wilkinson.

Under cross-examination by Crysanthou and Network Ten’s barrister Matt Collins SC, Lehrmann revealed that the Seven Network paid his rent for 12 months as part of a deal for an exclusive interview. Lehrmann also called Scott Morrison’s apology in parliament to Brittany Higgins “stupid”, and agreed that the first publications to name him were two independent crime websites – not The Project or news.com.au.