Linda Reynolds has demanded an apology from Finance Minister Katy Gallagher for the ‘damage that’s been wrought’ on her life by the Brittany Higgins saga.
Senator Reynolds, who is retiring at the coming election, used her last Senate Estimates to accuse Senator Gallagher of abusing parliamentary privilege with her questions over Ms Higgins’ alleged assault in Parliament House in March 2019.
‘Will you now apologise, not just to me but to my staff and my family for all of the damage that has been wrought on them by you and by others in the Labor Party?’ Senator Reynolds asked.
Senator Gallagher told the former Defence Minister that she was ‘sorry that you have been hurt by all of this’ but insisted her questions were ‘reasonable’.
‘I’ve gone back and had a look at the questions I’ve asked, and I believe the questions I’ve asked of you when you were a minister and accountable for what happened in your office were reasonable,’ she added.
‘I consider these things deeply.’
While she was talking, Senator Reynolds repeated twice: ‘That’s a no.’
‘That’s not a no,’ Senator Gallagher responded.
Senator Reynolds (pictured), who is retiring at the forthcoming election , used her last Senate Estimates to accuse Senator Katy Gallagher of abusing parliamentary privilege with her questions over Ms Higgins’ alleged assault in Parliament House in March 2019
Senator Gallagher (pictured) told the former Defence Minister that she was ‘sorry that you have been hurt by all of this’ but insisted her questions were ‘reasonable’
‘You were a minister, you were accountable for what happened in your office and we asked questions about an alleged sexual assault in this building.
‘And I would believe that other senators in a similar circumstance would ask exactly the same questions. But did I seek to cause harm to you or anyone else?
‘No. I asked questions that I think most people expect would have been asked with such serious allegations about what has happened in this building.’
Senator Reynolds got up from her chair abruptly, gathered her things and said: ‘So that’s a no.’
‘There was no apologies to my staff,’ she said.
Senator Gallagher accused her of ‘editorialising’.
Liberal Senator James McGrath then accused the Labor Minister of never apologising to Senator Reynolds’ staff.
‘My conscience is clear,’ Senator Gallagher responded.
Senator Reynolds is currently awaiting a verdict in a defamation action she brought against Ms Higgins and her now-husband David Sharaz over social media posts the pair made about her (pictured: Ms Higgins takes part in failed mediation talks in Perth)
It is the latest fallout from the six-year-long saga that has engulfed the worlds of politics, media and law, wrecking multiple careers and costing taxpayers millions.
Last year, Federal Court Justice Michael Lee found Bruce Lehramnn had raped his former colleague Ms Higgins in Senator Reynolds’ office following a night out in March 2019 after he brought a defamation case against Channel 10.
The judgment was found to the civil standard, which is on the balance of probabilities rather than beyond reasonable doubt.
Lehrmann has always denied the allegations and is appealing the judgement.
Criminal proceedings over the incident in the ACT ended with no findings against Lehrmann after juror misconduct.
A mooted second trial was abandoned over fears for Ms Higgins’ mental health.
Senator Reynolds is currently awaiting a verdict in a defamation action she brought against Ms Higgins and her now-husband David Sharaz over social media posts the pair made about her.