Linda Reynolds has launched an unusual defence of a Greens senator who came under fire in parliament for referring to her own “abuse” in the Senate following Brittany Higgins’ rape allegations.
Senator Reynolds was grilled during Senate question time in 2021 over her handling of the rape two years earlier in February 2019, when Ms Higgins, then her staffer, disclosed she had been assaulted.
Ms Reynolds was accused of forcing Ms Higgins to choose between coming forward with her rape complaint and keeping her job or trying to cover up the assault, something she denies.
Ms Reynolds ended up in hospital with serious heart problems after a week of parliamentary scrutiny, and is now suing Ms Higgins in the Western Australian Supreme Court for perpetuating the allegations against her on social media.
On Wednesday, she spoke about her own experience in relation to a situation in the Senate the previous night, where Greens MP Jordon Steele-John (who has cerebral palsy) became visibly angry and upset about reforms to the NDIS.
Her comments also touched on an ongoing debate over whether politicians should be held to workplace-like standards of behaviour, largely relating to name-calling after Teal MP Zali Steggall called Peter Dutton a “racist” last week.
“I fully understand the need for robust political debate under parliamentary privilege and the role that plays in democracy,” Reynolds told the Senate.
Senator Jordon Steele-John is pictured on the Senate floor Tuesday night, during his ten-minute speech.
“But I stand here, more than most, with a very clear understanding of the personal cost that this abuse has when parliamentary privilege is abused to make personal attacks.”
Ms Reynolds referred to Senator Steele-John’s reaction to the proposed reforms to the NDIS, which include tighter budgetary measures for participants in an effort to reduce the overall cost of the plan.
He was furious, saying the reforms had not been designed in consultation with disabled Australians who participate in the program. He spoke for ten minutes about how let down he felt by his own peers in Parliament.
He said: “Never in the history of the Australian disability rights movement has a government so profoundly betrayed the trust placed in it by the community.”
“With the passing of this law, Australia’s disability community will enter a period of shadows, harm, hardship and, yes, death. A way of life we thought we had escaped will return for many of us.”
Labor senator Tim Ayres then stood up and said Steele-John was engaging in a “fear campaign”, causing an uproar.
Senator Tim Ayres (pictured) said Steele-John’s fears about NDIS reform were a “scare campaign”
Mr Ayres said: “I’m just saying this in response to that contribution. A fear campaign has to have some basis in truth, no matter how many exaggerations there are…”
Mr Steele-John shouted: “Oh, shut up, Tim! You disgrace this chamber with your nonsense! You have no idea.”
Mr Ayres withdrew his statement.
On Tuesday, Ms Reynolds said Mr Ayres’s comments were a “stain on the government”.
“What Senator Steele-John said was not a fear campaign; it was exactly what we are all hearing, and it is the genuine fear of people with disabilities across the country.”
‘Senator Steele-John, I would like to apologize for what you have just been told.
“If you… had any decency, you would stand up right now and apologize to our colleague here, who just gave the most emotional speech he will probably ever give in his life.”
Linda Reynolds sues Brittany Higgins, left, for defamation over social media posts
On Wednesday, he backed up his comments, saying: “Last night, I think, was one of those opportunities for us to reflect on our shared humanity and compassion.”
“The words used during this debate hurt Senator Steele-John deeply because this is not just another bill that we are passing in this room. This is a bill that will impact the lives of 660,000 NDIS participants.”
She urged the Labor government to take into account the views of disabled Australians before passing the bill. Later on Wednesday, the federal government secured support from states and territories to reform the scheme.
Ms Reynolds made her comments in relation to her own civil court case under the protection of parliamentary privilege.
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