‘What the f**k was that’: How Scott Morrison’s office reacted to Brittany Higgins interview

Scott Morrison’s press secretary unloaded on The Project after Lisa Wilkinson’s interview with Brittany Higgins went to air, new details have revealed.

Scott Morrison’s press secretary unloaded on The Project after Lisa Wilkinson’s interview with Brittany Higgins went to air and demanded to know “What the f**k was that?”, according to Ten’s director of news.

But the allegedly furious phone call was not about Ms Higgins rape allegation but the disputed claim that it was not handled sensitively by the Morrison government and the treatment of chief of staff Fiona Brown.

Ten’s director of news content Ross Dagan details his version of the exchange in new documents tendered as evidence in Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation trial against Channel Ten and Ms Wilkinson.

Mr Dagan sent his account of the conversation to network boss Beverley McGarvey in an email released by the Federal Court on Thursday.

“Hi all - Andrew Carswell from the PM’s office called the second the program was off air and started with ”what the f**k was that”,‘’ Mr Dagan wrote.

“I told him not to speak to me that way and that if he had something to say, he should say it.

“He proceeded to inform me that the interview had ruined a woman’s life. It wasn’t until some minutes into the call that I realised he was referring to Fiona Brown, not Brittany Higgins.”.

Ms Brown was briefly Linda Reynolds’ chief of staff in March 2019, during the period Ms Higgins alleged she was raped in the Defence Industry Minister’s office.

Scott Morrison’s press secretary unloaded on The Project after Lisa Wilkinson’s interview with Brittany Higgins went to air.

The staffer has always maintained that Ms Higgins did not complain about an alleged rape until later in the week and never used the word outright.

She also has told the Federal Court she tried to support Ms Higgins in making a complaint to police and setting up the appointment.

Ms Higgins has previously stated that while she did not use the word rape in the first meeting with Ms Brown she was clear that it was an alleged sexual assault.

Both women agree that at some point during the first week Ms Higgins alleged that she “remembered him on top of her.”

After that, Ms Brown sought advice from the Department of Finance during the first week on how to handle a rape allegation, telling the Federal Court she was under pressure from Defence Minister Linda Reynolds to call the police regardless of Ms Higgins’ wishes.

That advice endorsed Ms Brown’s approach to support Ms Higgins but ensure the ultimate decision was up to her.

During the defamation trial in December, Ms Brown told the court she offered to take Ms Higgins to see the Australian Federal Police once she found out that Ms Higgins alleged she was raped.

In the email detailing the fallout from The Project’s interview, Ten’s news boss Ross Dagan says that the prime minister’s media adviser Andrew Carswell told him “all the correct procedures had been followed”.

“He said there were various issues with the story - he mentioned legal concerns - I said I wasn’t intimately across the production of the program, but there were avenues for him to make his position clear,” he said.

The allegedly furious phone call was not about Ms Higgins rape allegation but the disputed claim that it was not handled sensitively by the Morrison government.

“He eventually acknowledged Brittany towards the end of the call - at which point I said it was interesting that it was Fiona he had been most concerned about,” Mr Dagan said.

“At least three times in the call he mentioned ruining a woman’s life/career - all those references were to Fiona Brown.”

“I then hung up,” he said.

Channel 10 producer Angus Llewellyn was previously grilled on his own discussions with then-Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s media chief Andrew Carswell.

In an affidavit published by the Federal Court, Mr Llewellyn wrote that on Sunday, February 14, 2021, he missed a telephone call from Andrew Carswell, who was at the time the Press Secretary to Mr Morrison.

“I do not now recall what Mr Carswell said exactly, but I recall that he yelled at me,’’ Mr Llewellyn said.

He said Mr Carswell was concerned about how Defence Minister Linda Reynolds’ office was going to be portrayed.

“His entire focus was that the story could potentially paint Ms (Fiona) Brown, who he called ‘a legend’ of the party, in a poor light,” Mr Llewellyn said.

Ten’s director of news content Ross Dagan details his version of the exchange in new documents tendered as evidence in Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation trial against Channel Ten and Ms Wilkinson.

“He did not seem to me to be concerned by the allegation that a rape had allegedly occurred in a Minister’s office. He was furious at the thought that we may name Ms Brown.

“I remember that he asked me whether I was aware of any correspondence between Ms Higgins and Ms Brown. I had no idea why he had called me given my request for comment had been sent to Ms Brown.

“I did not want to hear from a media manager, I wanted to hear from Ms Brown and the others Ms Higgins had mentioned.

“I kept emphasising to Mr Carswell that they had until 10am on Monday to get back to me. I took handwritten notes of this conversation.”

During cross examination, Bruce Lehrmann’s barrister put it to the producer that Mr Carswell had provided a lot of information about the incident that was at odds with Ms Higgins’ claims that she was not supported.

“There’s this heading ‘background’ and I take it that that means Mr Llewellyn that you could use the information but you are not able to attribute it to anyone is that right?,’’ barrister Matthew Richardson SC asked.

Press Secretary Staff Andrew Carswell chats with former Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Picture: Gary Ramage

“Yes, it’s an underhanded, strange thing that political people do,’’ Mr Llewellyn replied.

“Nonetheless, you agree that it means you can use the information but it’s not attributable?,” Mr Richardson asked.

Subsequently, Mr Richardson asked him why Mr Llewellyn didn’t use more of the “background” information provided by the Prime Minister’s office in the program broadcast.

“Now, I just want to take you through some of the things that Mr Carswell told you. Under the heading of ‘background’ you see, there’s a statement there about three lines and Fiona Brown?,’’ he asked.

“I thought you agreed earlier that you were able to use material and background but you weren’t able to attribute it to a specific person?,’’ Mr Richardson said.

“Oh, no, no, no, no, sorry,’’ Mr Llewllyn responded.

“I mean, I would never use something that someone just tells me on ‘background’, or you would never use it at all.”

“You treat ‘background’ as the same as off the record, do you?,’’ Mr Richardson asked.

“Oh, yeah, yes, absolutely.”

Mr Llewellyn said the terms were “interchangeable”.

“I suggest to you, Mr Llewellyn that it is nonsense,‘’ Mr Richardson replied.

Asked about the conversation on Thursday night, Mr Carswell told news.com,au “That is not an accurate reflection of the conversation.”

Originally published as ‘What the f**k was that’: How Scott Morrison’s office reacted to Brittany Higgins interview