The political fallout from the Brittany Higgins saga just keeps barreling on. Having fatally wounded one government, it’s now turning on the next government — whose political machinations are being laid bare. A raft of leaked text messages show that, despite their repeated denials, senior Labor figures, up to the prime minister, were in the thick of the political weaponisation of the scandal.
The newest revelations not only expose the government to accusations of lying, but call into serious question the process by which Higgins was gifted up to $3m of taxpayers’ money. In a twist of fate, the Albanese government may find itself being one of the first referred to its own corruption commission.
The texts reveal [David Sharaz] arranging “drops” for favoured reporters, organising meetings with Labor MPs to bolster support for Ms Higgins’ claims of a cover-up by the Coalition government and disparaging former prime minister Scott Morrison, saying “I still hate the c…”.
Ms Higgins says: “He’s about to be f..ked over. Just wait. We’ve got him”.
Labor are being caught out in a web of lies.
Anthony Albanese this week emphatically denied claims of Labor involvement made in a five-hour pre-interview brainstorming session in which Ms Higgins, Mr Sharaz, Network Ten presenter Lisa Wilkinson and her producer Angus Llewellyn discussed whether “friendly MPs” could be used to publicise her case.
Asked by The Australian whether he had been solicited by Ms Wilkinson or anyone else associated with Ms Higgins to publicise the case in question time or elsewhere, the Prime Minister responded simply: “No.”
Except…
On April 16, 2021 Mr Sharaz texted Ms Higgins: “So Albo gave me his number […]
On April 22, Mr Sharaz texted Ms Higgins, “Friday 9am with Albo locked in at CPO. Details to come. A minute later Mr Sharaz texts: “Tanya too.”
“Tanya” being senior Labor minister Tanya Plibersek. But Plibbers was far from the only Labor mean girl in on the gossip circle. Like the PM, Katy Gallagher furiously denied what we now know to be absolutely true. The above texts were from February, 2021. Yet, four months later:
Senator Gallagher expressed outrage when former Defence Minister Linda Reynolds claimed she had been tipped off that Labor had been aware of the allegations before they became public and planned to use them.
“No-one had any knowledge. How dare you,’’ Senator Gallagher said.
No, senator: how dare you lie to our faces.
Still, Higgins and her boyfriend got their money’s worth.
Over the course of six days in February following Ms Higgins’ revelations, Senator Gallagher asked 11 questions without notice in the Senate on the issue.
And Gallagher was still telling apparent porkies.
The following day Senator Gallagher spoke in the Senate about “this terrible incident (which) happened in Senator Reynolds’s office” and gave a factually incorrect account of events, including that Ms Higgins “had already independently spoken to police days” before Senator Reynolds and her chief of staff Fiona Brown moved to ensure Ms Higgins was given access to the police.“According to Ms Higgins, the access to police in the 1 April meeting was couched in terms of: ‘If you go to the police, you must let us know when you do.’ There was no offer of going with her, of supporting her, of sitting with her.” Senator Gallagher said.
In fact, Ms Brown suggested going to the police as soon as she became aware there might have been an assault, organised the meeting with the AFP, located the offices in the Parliament House basement and accompanied Ms Higgins to those offices. Ms Brown offered to sit with her in the meeting or outside the room, and to come back and collect her. Ms Higgins declined those offers.
But Gallagher’s deep entanglement has repercussions far beyond the initial scandal. Because, as Finance Minister, Gallagher has direct responsibility for the massive, secret payout given to Higgins.
Senator Gallagher was responsible for the department that paid out a confidential settlement believed to be up to $3m to Ms Higgins in December over her claim she was not properly supported by Senator Reynolds and others after the alleged sexual assault.
The Albanese government barred Senator Reynolds from providing evidence in the case, threatening to tear up an agreement to pay her legal fees unless she agreed not to attend the one-day mediation, meaning that Ms Higgins’ claims of mistreatment in Senator Reynolds’ office were not contested.
At the time, Mr Albanese declined to answer questions about whether it was a conflict of interest for Senator Gallagher to have oversight of the deal, given her earlier engagement on the issue and whether she should recuse herself from any involvement in it.
The Australian
Labor’s Attorney-General, Mark Dreyfus, purely coincidentally no doubt, is adamant that the government has nothing to hide over the whole affair. Other MPs are not so sure.
Linda Reynolds, meanwhile, has said she might refer the settlement to the National Anti-Corruption Commission.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says it’s “clear” some people have not been telling the truth in relation to Brittany Higgins’ settlement and that Anthony Albanese needs to “front up”[…]
Independent MP Dai Le does not believe Anthony Albanese is “in the clear” over his potential involvement with former political staffer Brittany Higgins and her partner David Sharaz […]
“They have used this to really weaponise the other side and somebody has to answer for it.”
On Linda Reynolds potentially referring Brittany Higgins’ compensation claim, Ms Le said she was interested in how the payment was awarded so quickly.
The Australian
Only one thing about this whole, sordid affair is certain: that Peter Dutton is right when he says that there will be a lot more information to come out, yet.
And there are very few people who are going to come out of this looking clean.