Attorney-General insists there’s nothing to hide on Higgins payout
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has rejected claims the Albanese government has questions to answer about a compensation payment made to Brittany Higgins.
The former Liberal staffer reached a confidential settlement with the Commonwealth in December 2022 after she launched legal action against her employers in the former coalition government.
Dreyfus said the settlement with Higgins was “entirely in accordance” with the law.
“It’s very common for the Commonwealth to settle claims on the basis of agreed confidentiality,” he told Nine’s Today Show on Thursday.
“It’s very often in the Commonwealth’s interests that there be confidentiality and, often in the case of sexual harassment claims, there is a desire on the part of the claimant to keep the matter confidential.”
Asked if he was confident the government had nothing to hide, Dreyfus said “Absolutely.”
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Shadow treasurer Angus Taylor said the government had a lot of questions to answer, particularly Finance Minister Senator Katy Gallagher.
Media reports suggest Higgins and her partner discussed strategising with Gallagher when she was in opposition.
Dreyfus insisted Gallagher had not played a part in the mediation process and said he made the decision as attorney-general.
Former coalition minister Linda Reynolds has indicated she could refer the compensation payment to the National Anti-Corruption Commission.
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Dreyfus said anyone was welcome to refer matters to the new commission, which begins operating on July 1.
“Just like we said at the election, we were aiming to have an anti-corruption commission running by July 1, and it will be,” he said.
“It’ll be independent and a matter for the National Anti-Corruption Commission to decide what and how it will investigate.”
Higgins alleged she was raped in 2019 by Bruce Lehrmann inside the ministerial office of Reynolds, for whom they both worked.
After the 2019 federal election, Higgins worked as a media adviser for then-employment minister Senator Michaelia Cash.
Lehrmann has always denied Higgins’ allegation.
His trial in the ACT Supreme Court was derailed by juror misconduct, and prosecutors later dropped the charge.
