The national anti-corruption watchdog has found there was “no corruption issue” with the $2.4 million compensation payout made to Brittany Higgins by the Commonwealth government.
Higgins reached the compensation agreement with the Commonwealth in December 2022, following her allegations she was raped in Parliament House in 2019. Higgins, a former Liberal Party staffer, had alleged she was not adequately supported by her then boss Senator Linda Reynolds and her staff.
The payment was made in relation to future lost earnings, medical bills, legal bills and the distress Higgins endured.
Reynolds was among a number of figures who called for the National Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate the handling of the compensation payout.
On Thursday, the National Anti-Corruption Commission revealed it found no corruption issue in its extensive preliminary investigation into the settlement.
“There is no evidence that the settlement process, including the legal advice provided, who was present at the mediation, or the amount, was subject to any improper influence by any Commonwealth public official,” the Commission said in a statement.
“To the contrary, the evidence obtained reflected a process that was based on independent external legal advice, without any inappropriate intervention by any minister of either government.
“There is therefore no corruption issue.”
The anti-corruption commission said it made multiple “notices to produce” to various departments and lawyers, and analysed thousands of documents tracking the claims and negotiation of the settlement.
The commission said initial advice on the settlement was provided to the Morrison government before the May 2022 election and there was no material difference in the updated legal advice later provided to the Albanese government.
“There was no inappropriate intervention in the process by or on behalf of any minister. The then Attorney-General approved the settlement in accordance with the Departmental advice,” the commission said.
The commission also found the amount of the settlement—$2.4 million— was “less than the maximum amount recommended by the external independent legal advice”.
It also said the length of mediation, which concluded within a day, was “unexceptional”.
Linda Reynolds has launched a civil defamation case against the Commonwealth over the settlement payment, claiming it breached its duty to act in her best interests