Linda Reynolds has vowed to pursue her defamation case against Brittany Higgins, despite an impassioned plea from the former employee’s fiancé, David Sharaz, to drop the matter.
Senator Reynolds launched two defamation proceedings in the WA Supreme Court against Higgins and Sharaz over social media posts published in 2022 and 2023 that she said damaged her reputation.
The Liberal senator said the posts implied she pressured Higgins, her former junior employee, not to make her rape complaint to police in 2019 and interfered with Bruce Lehrmann’s rape trial in 2022.
In April, a Federal Court judge found, on a balance of probabilities, that Higgins was raped by Lehrmann in Senator Reynolds’ office in Parliament in 2019, but that no one attempted to stop her from making a police complaint.
Sharaz’s attempt to resolve his own case with the senator through mediation on Tuesday failed and he was forced to admit defeat, citing financial problems.
Amid the court process, he posted a statement on social media revealing he had resolved his own matter and urged Senator Reynolds to drop the matter against Ms Higgins.
On Wednesday, Ms Reynolds confirmed to WhatsNew2Day Australia that she would not be dropping the case, citing the “unwarranted and hateful abuse” she received as a result of Ms Higgins’ allegations.
David Sharaz is pictured with Brittany Higgins outside the Washington Supreme Court in March.
Linda Reynolds is pictured with her lawyer Martin Bennett outside court in March.
She said: “Since 2021, my staff and I have been subjected to unwarranted and hateful abuse as a result of allegations made by Ms Higgins about my conduct, a major allegation of political cover-up which Judge Lee recently found to be completely false.” .
The concerted attack by “Mrs Higgins” and Mr Sharaz on me, supported by the Labor Party in Federal Parliament, has taken a huge toll on my physical and mental health, and that of my staff.
“Ms. Higgins and Mr. Sharaz continued to defame and disparage me on social media, raising other allegations that have led to these legal actions.”
Ms Reynolds said she welcomed Washington Supreme Court Justice Paul Tottle’s decision on Tuesday to maintain the July trial dates for his defamation hearing against Ms Higgins.
“I look forward to the trial so we can end this dispute and move forward,” he said.
The senator also said Sharaz’s decision to make a statement during Tuesday’s court proceedings was “calculated.”
In his statement, Mr Sharaz said: “Despite our best efforts, Linda Reynolds has not agreed to attempts to resolve this matter through mediation and Brittany may now be exposed to another lawsuit. It will be the third.
Linda Reynolds’ attorney, Martin Bennett, is pictured speaking to reporters outside court on Tuesday.
David Sharaz issued a statement during the court proceedings on Tuesday (pictured)
‘I cannot afford to defend myself during a six-week trial. As a result, today I have informed the court that I will no longer fight Reynolds’ legal action.
‘I now call on Senator Reynolds to resolve her litigation against Brittany, a rape victim, by agreeing to disagree and putting this all behind her. It’s time to move.’
Ms Reynolds said it was unclear what Mr Sharaz’s statement meant “in a practical sense”.
“However, the calculated disclosure of the statement during the hearing and the, in my opinion, misleading references to confidential mediation conversations do not contribute to the resolution of the process,” he said.
Outside court on Tuesday, Ms Reynolds’ lawyer, Martin Bennett expressed confusion over Sharaz’s attorney Jason MacLaurin’s statement that his client had limited financial means.
Mr Bennett said: ‘He lives in a castle in France. He does not have a job and has a prosecutor and a junior lawyer, two lawyers representing him.
Sharaz and Higgins moved to France in December, about a year after the Commonwealth awarded her $2.4 million in compensation for the way her rape allegations were handled in 2019.
“If he is poor, as he claims in France, he will go bankrupt,” Mr Bennett said.
“You will need to ask your bankruptcy trustee if you can live abroad or travel abroad – you cannot do this as a matter of right if you are bankrupt in Australia.”
Brittany Higgins is pictured with her partner David Sharaz after moving to France in December.
David Sharaz and Brittany Higgins bought a house in France in December (pictured)
Bennett also said Senator Reynolds viewed Sharaz’s social media post mid-hearing as “insulting and aggravating.”
“This was all deliberately planned,” Bennett told reporters.
“A stunt to get attention and manipulate the media… It’s another attack on Senator Reynolds.”
Higgins apologized to Reynolds following the Federal Court decision into her rape in April, but disagreed with Judge Michael Lee’s findings that there was no cover-up.
The verdict was handed down in Lehrmann’s defamation case against Network Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson over an episode of The Project in 2021 during which Ms Higgins’ rape allegations were first broadcast.
Lehrmann had maintained his innocence before April’s damning findings.
In her apology, Mrs Higgins said: “Senator Reynolds and Fiona Brown have also been injured and I am sorry too.”
‘My perceptions and feelings about what happened in the days and weeks after my rape are different to theirs. I deeply regret that we have not yet found common ground.’
Senator Reynolds responded by saying she wanted Ms Higgins to accept Judge Lee’s findings that there was no political cover-up.
“If Ms Higgins does not accept Judge Lee’s findings on the allegations of cover-up and ill-treatment, then, unfortunately, it will have to be proven again at our trial scheduled for July this year,” he said.
The matter is scheduled for hearing on July 24.
