Liberal Senator Linda Reynolds felt like a fool when she learned about Brittany Higgins’ plan to target her after rape cover-up allegations were made public, a defamation trial has been told.
Higgins is being sued over a series of social media posts the former defence minister believes have damaged her reputation.
Senator Reynolds told the Western Australian Supreme Court that it wasn’t until she heard journalist Lisa Wilkinson’s pre-interview with Higgins for Network Ten’s The Project during Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation case that she realised her former staffer wanted to harm her.
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“I hadn’t believed that there was malice… but reading and then hearing them read out, it was so clear to me then that this was premeditated. It was personal against me,” she said while giving evidence today.
“I felt stupid, you know, because I had done everything in the Senate, you know, not to reveal the confidential nature of the discussion that I had with Brittany Higgins back in 2019.”
Senator Reynolds said she had initially blamed the Labor Party for the attacks on her but she realised Higgins and her now husband David Sharaz were the alleged instigators.
“I had no idea how well prepared, this plan was,” she said.
“They had a package for the media. They had a package for the Me Too movement. They clearly had a package for disaffected Liberals… pitching it to them as well.
“I was angry. I was hurt… I felt like a fool.
“The media it generates… the trolling. It all just keeps it cycling through.”
Senator Reynolds said the attacks devastated her family and staff.
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“A big part of my leading advisers’ job, even today, is to manage the most vile things that people still say,” she said.
“They ring up my staff and say ‘how can you possibly work for such an evil woman?’ And that takes its toll on all of my staff.
“These lies have damaged so many people’s lives and they are people I care about and that is why I’m here today.”
Lawyer Martin Bennett raised Higgins’ continuing use of social media during the trial to allegedly target the senator.
“It just validated why I’m taking these proceedings because she will not stop and even during this trial, she will not stop,” she said.
“They tag me… so it is impossible to ignore.”
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Senator Reynolds recalled one of Higgins’ posts, saying: “The French Resistance. You can run, but you can’t hide”.
“That’s what these posts are all about, to engender that sort of story and it works time after time after time after time,” she said.
Higgins is due to leave her home in France to testify in court later in August.
Another post said: “I won’t stay silent so you can stay comfortable”.
“I can assure you, taking these proceedings, putting my house on the line, everything I’ve worked for for 40 years, putting everything on the line to be able to be here to tell the truth that just took the cake: that I’m doing this to stay comfortable,” the senator said.
“I have no words for it. It is gross. It is unfair… That ain’t comfortable.”
Senator Reynolds was also questioned about her reaction when she learned she was barred from attending the Commonwealth’s 2022 mediation sessions with Higgins’ that led to her $2.4 million payout.
“I was utterly outraged because this was finally going to be my opportunity to defend against these allegations,” she said.
“I could see immediately what the attorney-general was trying to do, which is why I referred it to the National Anti-Corruption Commission.
“He was seeking to silence me.”
Higgins’ defence relies on truth and that it was reasonable to comment on issues of public interest concerning government and political matters.
She alleged that colleague Bruce Lehrmann raped her in Senator Reynolds’ office in 2019.
Lehrmann has always denied the allegation and his criminal trial was derailed by juror misconduct.
For support call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) or the National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028.
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