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Former prime minister Scott Morrison will give proof within the WA Supreme Court docket on Tuesday through video hyperlink.
Mr Morrison was the chief of the Coalition in 2019 when Ms Higgins, a Liberal staffer, was raped by her colleague Bruce Lehrmann inside Linda Reynolds’ ministerial suite in Parliament Home.
Ms Reynolds was the defence trade minister on the time.
The Coalition was nonetheless in authorities in February 2021, when Ms Higgins went public along with her rape claims in a web based Information Corp article and a tv interview on The Venture.
Her claims have been a catastrophe for the Liberal Get together – Ms Reynolds was grilled over the state of affairs for every week throughout Query Time, to the purpose the place she had an entire breakdown and almost died as a consequence of a coronary heart situation – the court docket has heard.
She was accused of attempting to cowl up the rape, failing to help Ms Higgins, and making her select between going to the police and her political profession.
Ms Reynolds strongly denies these claims, however she did not correctly defend herself on the time as a result of she did not need to betray Ms Higgins’ confidence.
She additionally did not suppose a felony allegation ought to be litigated underneath the safety of parliamentary privilege.
In court docket final week, Ms Reynolds instructed the court docket she left the Senate on the ultimate day of questioning and fell aside – her knees buckled, she had horrible chest ache, and Mr Morrison consoled her.
(Pictured beneath: Linda Reynolds with Scott Morrison)
A month later, in March 2021, it was revealed that Ms Reynolds known as Ms Higgins a ‘mendacity cow’ in an open a part of her workplace, in entrance of employees, whereas she watched The Venture broadcast.
Ms Reynolds stated she was referring to Ms Higgins’ claims towards her, slightly than the rape itself.
Mr Morrison condemned her remark and moved her out of the defence portfolio.
On March 25, 2021, Mr Morrison appeared on A Present Affair and was grilled over Ms Higgins’ rape claims by former host, Tracy Grimshaw.
That interview shall be raised in court docket on Tuesday.
A few 12 months later, in February 2022, Mr Morrison stood up in Parliament Home and apologised to Ms Higgins. At the moment, Lehrmann had been charged with rape and was as a consequence of face trial 4 months later.
He stated: ‘I’m sorry. We’re sorry. I’m sorry to Ms Higgins for the horrible issues that befell right here.
‘The place that ought to have been a spot for security and contribution, turned out to be a nightmare.
‘I’m sorry for a lot extra than that. All of those that got here earlier than Ms Higgins.
‘And loved the identical, however she had the braveness to talk, and so right here we’re.’
Court docket will resume at 10.30am native time, 12.30pm AEST.
(Pictured beneath: Brittany Higgins in Parliament Home, watching Scott Morrison’s apology in 2022)
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