Former prime minister Scott Morrison has defended Senator Linda Reynolds’ handling of Brittany Higgins’ alleged rape, while he gave evidence at a defamation trial.
Reynolds is suing Higgins for defamation over a series of social media posts containing alleged mistruths which she believes damaged her reputation.
Morrison told the Perth court on Tuesday support had been provided to Higgins after her alleged rape in 2019 in the senator’s ministerial office, but the parliamentary processes had failed.
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“I believe that they had done everything they possibly could within the processes they had to support Ms Higgins,” he told the Western Australian Supreme Court via video link.
“Ultimately those processes have failed and she felt the way that she felt, and that has never been in dispute.”
Morrison said processes were later improved to provide complainants with access to independent and confidential counselling.
“That’s where I saw the great weakness in the system … that obviously let Ms Higgins down, but it also let down Minister Reynolds and her staff in seeking to deal with this issue,” he said.
“Everyone wanted to see this issue dealt with at that time.”
Asked if he was disappointed he was not told about the rape allegation until 2021, Morrison said: “Yes, initially I was but as events transpired, Senator Reynolds chose not to do that … out of respect for the confidence that they’d entered into with Ms Higgins.”
Morrison said he learned about the incident and the security breach that led to Higgins and Bruce Lehrmann being in Reynolds’ office on the same day the former staffer’s allegations about mishandling the incident became public.
“I undertook a series of briefings … through my staff … and sought to bring myself up to date as I prepared to face questions in the parliament,” he said.
Morrison described the political firestorm that followed as “aggressive” and “co-ordinated”, agreeing Reynolds was “attacked”.
“It was intending to discredit her,” he said.
“It was the weaponising of this issue for political purposes to discredit both Senator Reynolds … and the government, and by extension myself.”
When asked what was alleged during the attack, Morrison replied: “(That) the government was involved in the cover-up of this issue, which was completely and utterly false, without any foundation.”
The former Liberal leader recalled the effect on Reynolds, who he described as a friend for more than 20 years, saying she was suffering significant anguish.
“I went and saw Linda immediately after question time … she was sitting in the Whip’s office in a very distressed state,” he said.
“I provided her comfort as a friend, but also as her prime minister and leader, and expressed my strong support for her.”
Morrison said the senator was experiencing physical and mental symptoms, and it was distressing to witness.
“She was quite visibly, physically stressed and in a highly fragile emotional state at that point,” he said.
“I was unaware of her cardiac condition. This was brought to my attention with her permission sometime later and that only deepened my concern.
“I remember for a period there we were very fearful for Senator Reynolds (that) this could be a fatal outcome for her.”
Lehrmann has always denied the rape allegation and his criminal trial was derailed by juror misconduct.
Higgins is due to leave her home in France to testify in court later in August.
If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au.
In an emergency, call 000.
Advice and counselling for men concerned about their use of family violence: Men’s Referral Service, 1300 766 491.
