Dispute over Brittany Higgins’ fundraiser spawns new fundraiser for Saxon Mullins

A fiery legal argument about a crowd-funding effort created for Brittany Higgins has spawned a new fundraising campaign.

A new crowd-funding campaign has been set up to support a sexual assault survivor advocate who may be forced to face court after she created a fundraiser for Brittany Higgins.

Lawyers for senator Linda Reynolds have asked to call Saxon Mullins to give evidence about the fundraiser during the high-profile defamation battle between Senator Reynolds and her former staffer.

The senator is suing Ms Higgins and her husband David Sharaz in the West Australian Supreme Court over social media posts published in 2022 and 2023 that she claims damaged her reputation.

The social media posts were critical of the senator’s handling of Ms Higgins’ allegation that she had been raped by her colleague Bruce Lehrmann inside Parliament House in 2019.

Brittany Higgins is being sued for defamation by her former boss Linda Reynolds. Picture: NewsWire / Monique Harmer

Mr Lehrmann faced a criminal trial in 2022 that was abandoned due to juror misconduct. The rape charge was subsequently dropped and he has continued to maintain his innocence.

Mr Lehrmann lost a subsequent civil defamation case in April this year when the Federal Court determined, on the balance of probabilities, that he had raped Ms Higgins at Parliament House.

Ms Mullins created the #Stand With Brittany Higgins fundraiser earlier this month and it has so far raised more than $51,000 to cover “ongoing medical, counselling and legal costs”.

“After speaking out about her assault, Brittany has been the victim of an endless stream of attacks and is now being sued for defamation,” Ms Mullins wrote on social media at the time.

However, the fundraiser has now landed the sexual assault survivor advocate in the spotlight after Senator Reynolds’ lawyer, Martin Bennett, called for her to testify in court.

He claimed the fundraiser was “an attempt of mischaracterisation of these proceedings” to focus on Ms Higgins’ alleged rape in 2019.

“(It is) an attempt to say that Senator Reynolds is trying to silence a sexual assault survivor,” he said in the WA Supreme Court on Thursday.

A fundraiser has been set up for sexual assault survivor advocate Saxon Mullins. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

The application for Ms Mullins to testify has generated a second fundraiser, which has been set up to purportedly help Ms Mullins respond to her unforeseen involvement in the defamation battle.

Founder of the #LetUsSpeak movement, Nina Funnell, launched the #Support Saxon Mullins campaign on Thursday, saying the advocate has “already been through hell when it comes to courts in this country” in relation to other matters.

She said Ms Mullins’ legal costs were “mounting” after she engaged lawyers to comply with a subpoena to hand over any communication with Ms Higgins over the #Stand With Brittany Higgins fundraiser.

“Saxon has done nothing wrong, has nothing to hide and will willingly comply if she is compelled to give evidence in court,” Ms Funnell wrote.

“But like many survivors, her existing trauma associated with courts and cross-examination has made this a triggering and distressing episode, which has opened old wounds causing pain and injury.”

Senator Linda Reynolds claims she was defamed by Ms Higgins’ social media posts. Picture: NewsWire / Sharon Smith

The crowd-funding campaign aims to raise $10,000 to support Ms Mullins’ legal and counselling costs arising from the defamation suit.

At the time of writing, more than $2000 had been donated.

Ms Funnell wrote that additional funds would cover any additional sexual assault survivors who may be subpoenaed or would form a donation to a sexual assault charity of Ms Mullins’ choosing.

Justice Paul Tottle is expected to hand down his decision on Friday as to whether Ms Mullins will be called to give evidence.

Originally published as Dispute over Brittany Higgins’ fundraiser spawns new fundraiser for Saxon Mullins