Defamation threat letter to Reynolds
DEFENCE Minister Linda Reynolds is facing legal action for allegedly calling former staffer Brittany Higgins a “lying cow” after Ms Higgins went public with claims she was raped in the thendefence industry minister’s office.
Defamation lawyers sent the embattled minister a strongly worded legal letter on Thursday, demanding she apologise to Ms Higgins for her “belittling” and “demeaning” words.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison condemned the “inappropriate and wrong” language used by the senator but stood by her, confirming he expected her back at work soon after medical leave.
The PM spoke with Senator Reynolds about the statement she made “in her private office in a stressful week” and said he was certain she had not been accusing Ms Higgins of lying about her assault claim.
“Her comments … related to the further commentary about levels of support provided, and her frustrations about how she felt that they were doing everything they believed in their power to provide support,” he said.
“She deeply regrets it. They were offensive remarks. She should never have made them. I don’t condone them.”
Asked if the Defence Minister should resign, Mr Morrison said: “She apologised to the staff about making what were inappropriate comments, long before it became public.”
The defamation action was launched after it was revealed Sen Reynolds made the “malicious” remarks in front of staff in an open-plan area of her parliamentary office.
Ms Higgins’ lawyer, Rebekah Giles, described the remark as a “distasteful character assassination” in the letter, reported by The Australian.
“Self-evidently, this demeaning and belittling statement, in which you refer to our client as a member of the animal kingdom and declare her to be untruthful, is highly defamatory of our client’s good character and unblemished reputation,” Ms Giles wrote.
“The cavalier manner in which those words were spoken make it plain that they were not spoken privately or in confidence.”
The comment has revived questions from some of the senator’s parliamentary colleagues about her ability to maintain her portfolio and cabinet position.
The statement was made after Ms Higgins came forward with claims she was raped by a colleague in 2019, just months after starting her “dream job” with the minister.
She has since made a formal statement to the Australian Federal Police.
Ms Higgins said the comments by her former boss were “incredibly hurtful”.
“I appreciate that it has been a stressful time, but that sort of behaviour and language is never excusable,” she said on Thursday. “It’s just further evidence of the toxic workplace culture that exists behind closed doors in Parliament House.”
The shocking comment was panned by senior figures from both sides of politics.
Opposition Senate leader Penny Wong called on Sen Reynolds to respond, taking aim at “confused” explanations from her since rape allegations were aired more than two weeks ago.
“It’s obviously not an acceptable comment and I think the minister needs to respond publicly,” Sen Wong said.
Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate, Katy Gallagher, called the comments “completely unacceptable”. “Her performance over the Brittany Higgins case has left many of us scratching our heads,” she said.
“I don’t think she’s answered questions. I don’t think she’s done what she should have, as Defence Minister.”
Finance Minister Simon Birmingham said Sen Reynolds was “right to regret” her comments and Mr Morrison was “right to disapprove” of them,
Sen Reynolds was last week due to face questions from the media over her handling of Ms Higgins’ claims and the support she did or did not provide. But just hours before her scheduled appearance, the senator was admitted to hospital and has been on sick leave since.
The senator has asserted she “never questioned” Ms Higgins’ claim. “I did, however, comment on news reports regarding surrounding circumstances that I felt had been misrepresented,” she said on Wednesday.