Brittany Higgins: Michaelia Cash rejects claims she knew of rape allegation while ex-staffer worked for her

Michaelia Cash has denied she knew about Brittany Higgins’ rape allegation while the former staffer was working for her, telling a court it would have been “political suicide” to cover it up.

The former cabinet minister dialled into the ACT Supreme Court on Monday to give evidence in the trial of Bruce Lehrmann.

Mr Lehrmann is accused of raping Ms Higgins in Linda Reynolds’ ministerial office after a night out drinking with work colleagues.

He has pleaded not guilty to sexual intercourse without her consent and being reckless to her consent.

Senator Cash denied she was aware of the sexual assault until Ms Higgins left her office in early 2021.

Crown prosecutor Shane Drumgold pressed Senator Cash, suggesting it would have been “politically embarrassing” if the allegation was made public.

“I do not understand the line of questioning. I do not understand how it could be politically embarrassing,” she told the court.

“Do you agree it would be politically harmful,” Mr Drumgold responded.

“Absolutely not,” Senator Cash fired back. “I don’t understand a political connection to this.”

Later, she agreed with Mr Lehramnn’s lawyer Steve Whybrow, who suggested it would have been “political suicide” for her to cover up an alleged assault.

“Hence my confusion with the previous line of questioning,” Senator Cash responded.

Ms Higgins has previously told the court she had several in-depth conversations with the then-minister about the incident.

But Senator Cash said it was her understanding the one conversation she had with Ms Higgins was in reference to a security breach, not an alleged rape.

“The first time I ever heard the word rape, was in questions from a journalist, Samantha Maiden, on the 12th of February 2021.”

Coalition colleague Senator Reynolds is expected to appear before the court over the next two days.

The trial was originally expected to run between four and six weeks.

But last week Mr Drumgold told the court he expected to close the Crown’s case on Tuesday.

It comes as the list of witnesses was slashed from over 50 to 32.

On Friday, Mr Lehrmann’s lawyer Steven Whybrow pressed Ms Higgins about inconsistencies in her account of the night in question during an emotionally charged cross-examination.

Singling out her alleged rapist for the first time in court, Ms Higgins addressed him with a pointed finger and told him “nothing was fine after what you did to me”.

Earlier that week, the jury heard Mr Lehrmann’s account for the first time, as they were played his police interview.

In it, he told police the incident “simply didn’t happen”.