Sky News political commentator Peta Credlin helped Brittany Higgins draft a statement outlining the former staffer’s plan to reform the way Parliament handles sexual harassment, a libel trial has heard.
Ms Higgins is battling her former boss, Senator Linda Reynolds, over a series of social media posts from 2023 that the former defence minister believes damaged her reputation.
The senator’s lawyer, Martin Bennett, told a Perth court that a statement purporting to be from Ms Higgins, which her lawyer Rachael Young read out during her closing arguments, was not written by her.
“It was not Ms Higgins’ voice at all,” he told the Western Australian Supreme Court on Tuesday, referring to the statement from February 19, 2021.
‘The draft… was prepared by (Ms Higgins’ now husband, David) Sharaz and was edited by Peta Credlin.’
Mr Bennett read out a series of messages between Mr Sharaz and Ms Credlin, each of which said: “Thank you again for your help. Please read the initial draft below – feel free to amend it completely as you see fit.”
Mr Bennett said Ms Credlin, chief of staff to former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, had provided suggestions for rewording some paragraphs and asked Mr Sharaz to call her so she could explain the changes.
He also said Sharaz sent the redacted document to journalist Lisa Wilkinson.
A court heard a statement purporting to be from Ms Higgins, which was read out by her lawyer Rachael Young during her closing arguments, and was not written by her (pictured, Brittany Higgins with husband David Sharaz).
A court has been told that a speech by Brittany Higgins was edited by Sky News presenter Peta Credlin (pictured)
“This idea that statements made by Ms Higgins after the date of The Project interview and the article by (News.com.au reporter Samantha) Maiden corroborate her motive for making those statements… needs to be treated with caution because what appears to be Ms Higgins’ voice was the voice of people jumping on the bandwagon,” Bennett said.
Ms. Young ended her closing argument in defense of Ms. Higgins by saying the senator had repeatedly stated that she was protecting Ms. Higgins’ agency in defense of its handling of the alleged rape.
“But Ms. Higgins had no autonomy when she was raped in March 2019 on the couch in Senator Reynolds’s private office,” he said.
Ms Young read an extract from Ms Higgins’ statement in which she said she had contacted the Australian Federal Police again and would be making a formal complaint about her alleged rape.
Linda Reynolds’ lawyer Martin Bennett (pictured with Senator Reynolds on Tuesday) told a Perth court that a statement purporting to be from Ms Higgins was not written by her.
In it, Ms Higgins also said: “The Prime Minister has repeatedly told Parliament that I should be given autonomy in the future.”
‘I do not believe I have been given that power over the past two years, but I am taking advantage of it now and have informed the Prime Minister’s Office that I expect to have a say in defining the scope and terms of reference for a further and significant review of the conditions of all ministerial and parliamentary staff.
‘From the outset, I was motivated by a desire to ensure that no one else had to go through the trauma I experienced during my time in Parliament.
“I have been repeatedly failed, but I now have my voice and I am determined to use it to ensure this never happens to any other staff member again.”
The trial continues on Wednesday, when Mr. Bennett is expected to complete his closing remarks.