PM defends Katy Gallagher over Brittany Higgins text allegations

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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has defended his finance minister, Katy Gallagher, amid allegations that she misled Parliament when she learned of the rape allegations of ex-Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins.

Ms Higgins reached a compensation deal with the Commonwealth in December 2022 after taking legal action against her employers in the previous Coalition Government.

Ms Higgins alleged she was raped by Bruce Lehrmann in 2019 in the office of then-Coalition minister Linda Reynolds, who they both worked for.

Mr. Lehrmann has always denied Ms. Higgins’ allegation.

This week, text messages between Ms Higgins and her partner David Sharaz emerged suggesting the pair were considering strategizing their romance with Senator Gallagher, when she was in opposition, after the rape allegation has been made public.

It is further alleged that the senator misled Parliament in 2021 when she dismissed claims that she was told of the rape allegation.

On Friday, Mr. Albanese defended Senator Gallagher, saying the complaint against her was bizarre.

“You had allegations from a Liberal staffer that another Liberal staffer was sexually assaulted in a Liberal minister’s office, and somehow Katy Gallagher has a part responsibility for what was happening here,” he told Seven’s Sunrise.

“How weird.

“The idea that there’s this conspiracy somehow…it’s nonsense.”

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles also came to the defense of Senator Gallagher, saying she had “made her position very clear”.

However, opposition finance spokeswoman Jane Hume said it was important to clarify the context of the text messages.

“There are questions that need to be answered,” she told Today.

“We should not post a routine comment on ongoing cases as processes are still ongoing.

“The Sofronoff investigation has yet to report.”

The Sofronoff inquiry into the handling of Mr. Lehrmann’s rape trial is due in July.

Meanwhile, Senator Reynolds – who has come under fire for her handling of Ms Higgins’ situation – has threatened to refer her compensation to the National Anti-Corruption Commission, which comes into effect on July 1, with the backing of its chief Peter Dutton.

But Independent MP Zali Steggall accused the coalition on Friday of turning Ms Higgins into a political punching bag to continue its attacks on the Labor government.

“This is a pretty vile attack by Dutton and Linda Reynolds, putting the mental health of a very vulnerable person at risk,” Ms Steggall told Today.

“We have to remember that Brittany Higgins is a very vulnerable young woman and making her the punching bag for a political attack is truly unsavory.”

Ms Steggall called for the contents of emails and phone calls made by Senator Reynolds after learning of the alleged assault to be made public and also defended Senator Gallagher.

“In my experience, Katy Gallagher has been a very ethical person in all of my dealings with her,” she said.

“It’s a hell of a distraction for the Liberal Party, and it says a lot about Dutton’s moral compass.”

Mr Dutton doubled down on the issue of compensation, estimated at $3million and paid to Ms Higgins after she successfully filed a personal injury claim.

“Linda Reynolds is a person of great honor and she rightly feels aggrieved in the process here,” he said Thursday.

“I suspect that would be one of the first issues the integrity commission would deal with.”

Prosecutors eventually dropped charges against Mr Lehrmann due to concerns about the impact of a second rape trial on Ms Higgins’ mental health after her initial trial was dropped due to misconduct by a juror.

1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)

National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028

Lifeline 13 11 14

beyond blue 1300 22 4636

Canberra by Maeve Bannister and Andrew Brown

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