By I. Hansana, Jadetimes News
Linda Reynolds, a Western Australian senator, has explained in a defamation trial why she chose to meet Brittany Higgins in the room where Higgins alleges she was raped. Reynolds stated that the room was the only private space available in her ministerial office suite at the time. She also testified that she was unaware of any potential sexual assault allegations during the meeting and did not notice any indications of distress from Higgins, who was reportedly very upset.
Reynolds is suing Higgins over social media posts from 2023, which she claims damaged her reputation by alleging inadequate support following Higgins' alleged rape in Parliament House in 2021. Reynolds' lawyer, Martin Bennett, argued that Reynolds' mental and physical health had deteriorated as a result of these events.
In her testimony before the Supreme Court of Western Australia, Reynolds detailed a meeting with her then chief of staff, Fiona Brown, and Higgins about a security breach. She explained that the room where the alleged rape occurred was chosen due to its availability and suitability for a private meeting. Reynolds described Higgins as mortified but noted that Higgins expressed a desire to continue working and take responsibility for the situation.
Reynolds also shared concerns about Bruce Lehrmann, a former staffer, who had previously made questionable claims and mishandled classified documents. Reynolds and Brown had concluded that Lehrmann was unsuitable for the defence portfolio.
The court heard Reynolds' personal experiences with sexual misconduct, emphasizing her familiarity with such issues within Parliament House. Higgins' lawyer, Rachael Young, criticized Bennett's characterization of the case and stated that Reynolds' claims of not knowing about the alleged rape were not credible. Young planned to cross examine Reynolds later in the week.
Young also argued that Reynolds' claims of a conspiracy involving Higgins and her husband, David Sharaz, were unfounded. Evidence presented included text messages from Higgins, which Young argued showed her distress and isolation, contrary to claims of her being "vivacious."
Reynolds had previously argued against media and parliamentary forums being used to advance personal interests in sexual assault cases. Outside court, Reynolds expressed her anticipation of finally telling her side of the story, following a lengthy period of legal battles and a substantial personal injury settlement made by Higgins against the government.
The ongoing legal saga includes Lehrmann's defamation trial against Network 10, which concluded with a federal court finding that he raped Higgins, despite Lehrmann's vehement denial and a second trial not proceeding due to concerns for Higgins' mental health. Reynolds is also pursuing a defamation case against Sharaz for two tweets.
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