logo
Linda Reynolds claims she was ‘obliged' to sue Brittany Higgins in a civil defamation case

Linda Reynolds claims she was ‘obliged' to sue Brittany Higgins in a civil defamation case

News.com.au13-05-2025

Liberal Senator Linda Reynolds will claim she was 'obliged' to sue Brittany Higgins in a civil defamation case in new court documents seeking taxpayer-funded compensation for her losses and damages.
In the latest branch of the byzantine web of legal action associated with the saga, her legal team have asked the Federal Court to consider whether taxpayers should make a contribution to cover her 'losses' including legal costs in the WA Supreme Court.
While the total amount she has spent on the case is not stipulated it is conservatively estimated to be hundreds of thousands of dollars.
In new legal filings, the Liberal Senator's legal team argues she 'has suffered, and is continuing to suffer, loss and damage.'
'These losses include: Legal costs associated with being obliged to commence proceedings so as to vindicate and restore her reputation,'' the document states.
'Further particulars of the legal costs incurred to date in vindicating the Applicant's reputation will be provided prior to trial.'
The firm is claiming equitable damages or alternatively, damages for breach of fiduciary duties; or damages for negligence; further or other relief as the Court deems just.
The defamation case in the WA Supreme Court is tied to social media posts on Instagram and Twitter made by Ms Higgins and her husband David Sharaz which Senator Reynolds says 'maliciously' targeted her.
She argues the posts falsely alleged she had 'harassed' Ms Higgins and mishandled the former staffer's claim she was raped by Bruce Lehrmann.
'They were published in furtherance of a plan by the defendant and Mr Sharaz to use the defendant's allegations of a rape and the political cover-up… as a weapon to inflict immediate political damage upon the plaintiff and the then government,' the Senator's original WA Supreme Court statement of claim reads.
Mr Lehrmann has always denied the rape allegation and was charged but never convicted before the trial collapsed as a result of juror miscondct
Now, there is a new legal case spawned by the ongoing saga in the Federal Court.
Liberal Senator Linda Reynolds is suing the commonwealth for unspecified damages over its conduct in Brittany Higgins' compensation case in the Federal Court.
Senator Reynolds' legal team will argue that the $2.4 million taxpayer-funded payout offered to Ms Higgins in late 2022 had the effect of 'publicly affirming' Ms Higgins' allegations against her.
As a result, she argues to clear her name she then had to sue Ms Higgins for defamation in a civil lawsuit in the WA Supreme Court.
The civil defamation case lodged in the WA Supreme Court was concluded in September but no judgment has been made and Justice Paul Tottle has reserved his decision.
In legal documents lodged with the Federal Court, Senator Reynolds says the commonwealth was in breach of its duty to act in her best interests when it settled Ms Higgins' claim after a one day mediation.
The mediation follows around 12 months of discussions between Ms Higgins legal advisers and the Commonwealth, a process that was delayed by the criminal trial.
Taxpayers paid for legal advice for Senator Reynolds and Liberal Senator Michaelia Cash in the original negotiations over the compensation claim for Ms Higgins because it was an issue that arose in the course of their work as ministers.
But Senator Reynolds is now taking legal action against those lawyers– including for negligence – against law firm HWL Ebsworth which acted for the commonwealth in the case.
Senator Reynolds' has long argued that the Commonwealth threatened to not to pay her legal fees and any costs awarded if she attended the mediation.
As a result she agreed not to attend the mediation despite the fact that she wished to do so.
As a result of that decision the Defence Minister argues she was unable to dispute any of Ms Higgins' allegations in her compensation claim.
Last month, Senator Reynolds told The Australian newspaper that the commonwealth and its lawyers had been 'hopelessly conflicted'.
'The Attorney-General and his ministers had been such staunch public supporters of Ms Higgins, politicising her untested, unsubstantiated and untrue allegations against me and it is impossible to reconcile how they considered they could act in my best interests and advocate for me in those circumstances,' Senator Reynolds said.
'Ms Higgins' allegations concerning me were entirely defensible but in settling the claim against me it sent a message to the nation that those allegations were so true, so damning, so abhorrent that the commonwealth was prepared to pay her $2.445 million after only a single instance of mediation, in a single day for proceedings not yet filed and quite possibly statute barred.
'That settlement validated the sustained defamation and fuelled further defamation which I have been forced to defend and prosecute, at great personal and financial cost.'
She confirmed she had appointed her own lawyers Clayton Utz, to help defend Ms Higgins's claims.
However, she says the Commonwealth took over the claim on behalf of Senator Reynolds and their solicitors, HWL Ebsworth, were appointed to her.
Senator Reynolds' lawyers had written to HWL Ebsworth stating their concerns and pointing out that 'the plain conflict of interest by reason of the public support offered to Ms Higgins and her version of events by the Attorney-General and other approving Ministers'.
In her statement of claim, Senator Reynolds' notes that Ms Higgins was permitted to extend her claim beyond the one-year limitation period, which was due to expire on December 6, 2022.
A 27-page annexure to the statement of claim outline multiple examples where Senator Reynolds says the evidence is contrary to Ms Higgins' particulars of liability concerning Ms Reynolds.
A spokesperson for HWL Ebsworth has previously declined to comment while the matter was ongoing.
In a separate action, Senator Reynolds' former chief of staff, Fiona Brown has lodged a fair work case against the commonwealth.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

‘Doesn't want to play for them': Bombshell racism report rocks AFL club
‘Doesn't want to play for them': Bombshell racism report rocks AFL club

Daily Telegraph

time2 hours ago

  • Daily Telegraph

‘Doesn't want to play for them': Bombshell racism report rocks AFL club

Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News. Adelaide veteran Taylor Walker's racism incident several years ago is playing a role in star trade target Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera refusing to consider joining the Crows, according to veteran journalist Caroline Wilson. However the Saints gun's manager has firmly denied he has ruled out joining the club. In 2021, Walker was handed a six-week suspension and $20,000 fine for racially abusing an Indigenous SANFL player while addressing the Crows reserves players in a non-playing capacity. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. The incident rocked both Walker, who was 'an emotional wreck' in the aftermath, and the team with coach Matthew Nicks emotionally calling it 'completely unacceptable and something that we won't stand for as a football club'. Wanganeen-Milera was drafted by St Kilda later that year and the South Australian, who has emerged as a young superstar halfback, is now weighing up whether to return to his home state or remain at the Saints with lucrative offers looming either way. Will Faulkner has reported Port Adelaide feels well-placed in the race for Wanganeen-Milera due to his close ties with Power players Jason Horne-Francis and Jase Burgoyne, while he also has family links to the club due to his uncle Gavin Wanganeen. Wilson reported on Monday night the 22-year-old will not consider the Crows partially due to the Walker incident, and particularly the way it was discussed on Channel Nine earlier this year. 'I'm making no comment about the club's handling of that incident, because my memory is that Matthew Nicks, the coach, was shattered by that incident, and the club did everything they could to get around Robbie Young (the player abused),' she said on Seven. Tex Walker and Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera. 'But Wanganeen-Milera has clarified that Matthew Nicks was the coach at the time and has indicated that he doesn't want to go to the Adelaide Football Club. 'One thing that happened over Gather Round, and I'm not talking so much about Wanganeen-Milera here, but a lot of his friends and the South Australian Indigenous community, was the Gather Round special that was aired on the Nine Network, hosted by Eddie McGuire.' A clip from the TV show was then aired in which McGuire described the incident as 'tough times' for Walker and framed him as dealing with adversity. Walker hit back at that framing somewhat, saying he 'made a mistake, one that I've got to live with for the rest of my life. But I suppose when you make mistakes, you get a choice, whether you can dwell on it, or you can learn about it.' While Wilson did not want to minimise any work Walker has done to make amends for the incident, and did not blame him for the framing of the interview, she explained there was 'a view from Indigenous leaders across footy that it portrayed Taylor Walker as more of a victim than Robbie Young. 'And it's just a small thing, but it wasn't a small thing to others who were still badly injured by what happened back in 2021. 'And so for a variety of reasons, but specifically Wanganeen-Milera's issues with Taylor Walker and what happened back then, the view from Port Adelaide and others in the footy community is if he does leave, he'll be going to Port Adelaide.' Wanganeen-Milera's manager Ben Williams denied a decision had been reached. In a statement to Nine Adelaide, he said: 'Reports made in the media suggesting that Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera has ruled out joining the Adelaide Crows due to comments made by Taylor Walker in 2021 are false. 'Nasiah is currently considering his future and at this stage, no decisions have been made, and any speculation suggesting otherwise is inaccurate.' Wanganeen-Milera is expected to receive long-term offers nearing $10 million but must be traded if he wants to leave, as he is several years away from reaching free agency. Originally published as 'Doesn't want to play for them': Bombshell racism report rocks AFL club

West Australia could realign its public holidays with eastern states
West Australia could realign its public holidays with eastern states

The Australian

time4 hours ago

  • The Australian

West Australia could realign its public holidays with eastern states

West Australians could be treated to an additional public holiday next year as the state looks at aligning its system with the east coast. WA currently has the lowest number of public holidays in the nation, and usually has a day off one week earlier than its eastern state counterparts. The state celebrates WA Day on the fist Monday in June, then celebrates the Kings Birthday on the fourth weekend in September. Most other states and territories celebrate the Kings Birthday on the second weekend in June. Premier Roger Cook said it was ridiculous to have a situation where Western Australia closes its doors when the east coast was open for business. Picture: NewsWire/ Sharon Smith Premier Roger Cook said his department was looking at realigning West Australian public holidays with the east coast so they were better synched. 'It is ridiculous you have a situation where Western Australia closes its doors or shuts the shop when the east coast is open for business,' he said. 'Today of course, you'll have frustrated members of the Western Australian business community that can't access their colleagues on the east coast. 'I'm reviewing the whole range of public holidays we have in Western Australia and where they land to make sure that we've got better alignment and that they work better for the WA community 'We are part of a national economy, and we should be working together much better to ensure better alignment around these days. ' Premier Roger Cook said his department was looking at realigning WA's public holidays with the east coast. Picture: NewsWire/Philip Gostelow CCIWA chief economist Aaron Morey said it was a good call from the premier but he did not support an additional public holiday. 'I think it's a good call from the Premier and lining up holidays definitely has public merit, how many birthdays does the king need?' he said. 'We're going to see some distraction today, the Melbourne Collingwood game on, I think people would rather be at home watching that.' But Mr Morey said he did not support having an additional public holiday in WA, which were huge headache for small businesses doing it tough. 'Someone might see a public holiday as a benefit, but for a small business, they just see another day when they have to pay $65 an hour for someone to wash dishes,' he said. 'It's really difficult for small business to navigate and to plan around public holidays, and so certainly not supportive of that concept.'

Sussan Ley to deliver National Press Club address, first Liberal leader to do so since Scott Morrison
Sussan Ley to deliver National Press Club address, first Liberal leader to do so since Scott Morrison

News.com.au

time4 hours ago

  • News.com.au

Sussan Ley to deliver National Press Club address, first Liberal leader to do so since Scott Morrison

Sussan Ley will give a significant speech at the National Press Club in a move aimed to distance herself from her predecessor Peter Dutton. The Opposition Leader is set to outline her vision for the new-look Liberal Party after it suffered its worst election result, with the Coalition reduced to a paltry 43 seats compared with Labor's 94. However, Ms Ley is not expected to share any new policy announcements, with the party still reviewing its agenda following May's blistering loss. Instead, she will detail how the Liberals will aim to win back voters ahead of the next federal poll due in 2028. 'Addressing the National Press Club is an important opportunity to talk to Australians about the work the Liberal Party will do over the next three years to reflect, respect and represent modern Australia,' she said, ahead of her appearance on June 25. 'Aspiration is the thread that connects every single part of Australian society and by focusing on that, the Liberal Party can once again earn the trust of communities across the country.' Anthony Albanese will address the National Press Club on Tuesday, with his speech set to detail Labor's second-term agenda. The Prime Minister was critical of former opposition leader Peter Dutton of eschewing addressing the club, accusing him of being 'unwilling to face up to the scrutiny'. The speeches are generally televised live and speakers are expected to answer questions from journalists following their remarks. 'For a leader, being here in the last week of the election campaign is more than a matter of respect for tradition,' Mr Albanese told the club a week before the May 3 federal election. 'Standing here is about taking responsibility for your plans. Being here is about being accountable, to the people, to the democratic process.' Ms Ley will also be the first female major party leader to address the National Press Club since Julia Gillard, who fronted the venue prior to Labor's losing election in 2013. Ms Ley will also be first Liberal leader to do so since the appearance of then prime minister Scott Morrison in 2022.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store