Former Prime Minister Scott Morrison has given evidence in the WA Supreme Court in Linda Reynolds’ defamation lawsuit against Brittany Higgins.
Senator Linda Reynolds is suing Higgins for defamation over a series of social media posts from July 2023.
In court today, Scott Morrison appeared via a video link from Sydney to give evidence as part of the case. He recounted his version of events from when the rape allegations made by Higgins first came to light on 15 February 2021, when The Project aired its interview between Lisa Wilkinson and Higgins.
Morrison said he came to be aware of Higgins’ allegations on the same day The Project aired the interview. He also told the court what he witnessed during Question Time in the days after the allegations came to light: he said Reynolds appeared visibly stressed and in a highly emotional state.
Morrison said the media frenzy that occurred after 15 February 2021 was “weaponising” the issue “for political purposes to discredit Senator Reynolds, the government and by extension myself”.
The former Prime Minister also said he feared for Reynolds’ life, concerned the media attention would result in a “fatal outcome for her”.
Morrison told the court that Reynolds was too sick to continue her duties as the Minister for Defence after the allegations were aired, despite his “hope and intention” she would return to “continue to serve in that role”. Reynolds instead took over as the Minister for Government Services and the Minister for the NDIS.
At the time, there was speculation Reynolds was removed from her post as the Minister for Defence because of a comment she had made that Higgins was a “lying cow”. During cross examination, Morrison said that was not the case and there was “no other reason” other than her health.
“I should stress that I found this statement by Senator Reynolds very out of character, extremely out of character,” Morrison said.
During cross examination, Morrison also said he was disappointed that he was not made aware of the incident in March 2019, when Higgins was allegedly raped in Reynolds’ ministerial office. He confirmed he was “not told by the Senator or her office” at the time.
“As events transpired, Senator Reynolds chose not to do that out of respect for the confidence that she had entered into with Miss Higgins,” Morrison said.
Earlier today, Senator Linda Reynolds spoke before the Coalition party room, telling her colleagues her pursuit of this defamation case is forcing her to sell her home, “win or lose”, Sky News Australia reports. Brittany Higgins has previously said the court case is also costing her and her husband David Sharaz’ home in France.
Higgins is expected to return to Australia in late August to give evidence as part of the case. Sharaz is not on the witness list.