Reynolds vs Higgins Day 8: Scott Morrison says claims of Higgins cover-up ‘completely and utterly false’

Former prime minister Scott Morrison said claims that his government had covered up the allegations made by Brittany Higgins were “completely and utterly false”, as he was called to give evidence in Linda Reynolds’ defamation case against the former staffer.

And he has also been grilled on not being told by Ms Reynolds about the security breach in her office – and the subsequent allegation of rape – for more than two years.

Senator Reynolds is suing Ms Higgins over a series of social media posts containing alleged mistruths that she believes damaged her reputation.

As part of that case, Mr Morrison was called to give evidence in WA’s Supreme Court via video link, despite being in WA over the weekend.

As he began his evidence, the former prime minister paid tribute to his former defence minister, describing her as a “good friend and a trustworthy colleague”.

He was then taken to 2021 and Ms Higgins’ interview with The Project when she detailed the allegation that she had been raped in the office of Ms Reynolds while she was working for her as a junior media officer.

He said the first he heard of those allegations was on February 15, the day that the interview aired.

And in the days following, he said he experienced the political firestorm which erupted — and saw the effect that had on his then defence minister – which included a near collapse on the floor of the Senate.

“She was sitting in the Whip’s office and was in a very distressed state,” he said.

“I provided her comfort as a friend, but also as her prime minister and leader, and expressed my strong support for her.

“Both the mental anguish and the physical evidence of that was very distressing to see in such a good friend.

“She was quite visibly, physically stressed and in a highly fragile emotional state at that point when I went to see her.

“I was unaware of her, her cardiac condition. This was brought to my attention with her permission sometime later and that only deepened my concern.

“And I remember for a period there, we were very fearful that ... this could be a fatal outcome for her.”

Mr Morrison said he viewed the scrutiny on Ms Reynolds as “quite aggressive and co-ordinated”.

“It was the weaponising of this issue for political purposes to discredit both Senator Reynolds and minister Reynolds at the time — and the government and by extension, myself,” Mr Morrison said.

Asked about what the former PM understood was being levelled against him, he said the allegation was “the government was involved in the cover-up of this issue.”

“Which was completely and utterly false, and without any foundation,” he said.

Under cross-examination from Ms Higgins’ lawyer Rachael Young, Mr Morrison said he had never considered dumping the Senator from the Defence ministry after it was revealed she had called Ms Higgins a “lying cow” as she watched The Project interview.

Mr Morrison said he still thought the comment was “absolutely outrageous”.

“I found this statement by Senator Reynolds very out of character, extremely out of character,” he said.

“It’s not okay for ministers to refer to anyone, and most significantly, someone in a vulnerable situation like that.

“I understood she was angry … and it was said in a private office. But even still, you that standard is not one that you can you can walk past.

“I think she referred to her as a cow, and I thought that was absolutely outrageous, and it is, and one shouldn’t do that. And Linda apologised for that — as she should.

Asked whether he believed those comments made her position “untenable” at that time, Mr Morrison said it didn’t.

“It wasn’t bearing on whether she would continue to be a minister or not,” he said.

“The reason Senator Reynolds was unable to continue in the Defence portfolio is because of the severe injury she suffered as a result of the attacks applied to her over a prolonged period of time that damaged her mental and physical health.

“That is the sole reason that I chose to make a change in those ministerial arrangements. There was no other reason.”

Mr Morrison said he had been “disappointed” he had not been told about the initial allegations by Ms Higgins when they were raised in 2019.

“Initially I was ... but as events transpired, Senator Reynolds chose not to do that … out of respect for the confidence that they had entered into with Miss Higgins,” Mr Morrison said.

“And so that was a dilemma.

“What I would have particularly been concerned to know (in 2019) was: Has her complaint been heard? Does she wish to take it to the police? Does she wish her confidence to be respected?

“And to the best of my knowledge, those were the things that were done at that time.”

Mr Morrison also said he had “very vague” recollection of ordering his senior staffer Phil Gaetjens to inquire into knowledge within his office of Ms Higgins’ allegation in 2019.

Under repeated questions, the former PM said he was not clear why he was being asked about it. When eventually told to answer the questions by Justice Paul Tottle, he did.

“They don’t relate to the events of what occurred in 2019 or issues regarding the process of the handling that were raised at the time … or indeed, anything relating to Senator Reynolds at all,” Mr Morrison said.

“I undertook for that process to be done in order for me to better make those responses.

“The report the Secretary was seeking to complete on the basis of advice from the Federal Police Commissioner was unable to be completed.”

That was because it had not been completed by the time Mr Lehrman had been charged with rape.

Asked whether he would have ordered similar inquiries into workplace culture in parliament if he had been told in 2019, the ex-PM said as far as he knew “there was no indication … there was a concern or complaint about the way the matter had been handled” then.

“You need to understand the situation fully as best as you can — and then make the most appropriate response in the time,” he said.

“So it’s very difficult to give you the sort of hypothetical answer to the hypothetical scenario.”

He also said that from what he knew, Senator Reynolds and others “had sought to encourage and provide support to enable a complaint to be made to the police.”

“Ms Higgins had chosen not to do that, and they supported her agency in making that decision,” he said.

The evidence came as reports emerged that Ms Reynolds has told parliamentary colleagues that she believes she will lose her home whether she wins or loses her case.

According to Sky News, Senator Reynolds told colleagues she had to continue the case “for herself and her family”.

It was also reported that she told the party room she felt “the Labor Party are dogs”, and had destroyed her career

Mr Morrison’s evidence followed that of Senator Reynolds’s partner Robert Reid on Monday.

Mr Reid told the trial the “whole saga has had an immeasurable impact on Linda, on myself”.

“It has affected every part of our life,” he told the Western Australian Supreme Court.

“I hope that one day we can get that relationship back.”

Mr Reid said the senator and his love was based on travel, politics, humour, family and spending time at the senator’s Bali home.

That all changed in 2021 when Ms Higgins went public with accusations about the senator covering up her alleged rape in 2019.

It led to Senator Reynolds having a public breakdown and being diagnosed with serious cardiac issues, the trial has been told.

“It has changed our lives utterly,” he said.

He said the senator’s medical issues had impacted her ability to travel.

“Linda now will have to take blood pressure monitors ... the medication she has to take,” he said.

Mr Reid said the couple’s relationship with his children from his first marriage was also impacted.

He said his daughter didn’t initially believe the senator’s version of events.

“When this first erupted, in 2021, I know who she believed and it wasn’t Linda to start with,” he said.

“There was reticence from my daughter to engage with Linda.”

Mr Reid also said Ms Higgins’ allegations and the political firestorm that followed also impacted the senator’s social life.

“Linda’s invitation list has shrunk. Just the other day, there was an event where the leader of the opposition had to ask somebody to represent him in a function,” he said.

“Now I know the people he asked, one of them accepted. I actually suggested Linda as an option and his office said ‘wish her well’.”

Senator Reynolds’ interaction with the public has also changed, Mr Reid told the court.

“It has affected how people come up to her, some to sneer, the great majority of people to say ‘well done, keep it going’,” he said.

with AAP