Brittany Higgins payout may be referred to federal ICAC by Linda Reynolds

Questions remain about why payment suggested to be in the millions was made after one day’s negotiation

Senator Linda Reynolds has threatened to refer a compensation payment made to Brittany Higgins to a new national anti-corruption body after it was revealed that the moneys were paid out before a claim for compensation was even filed in court.

On Wednesday morning, 2GB’s Ben Fordham reported that Reynolds told him that if no one else refers the matter to the anti-corruption body, she will.

At issue is a confidential settlement Ms Higgins reached with the Commonwealth after she alleged that she had been sexually assaulted by a fellow staffer in a Parliament House ministerial office.

While Commonwealth compensation claims are often subject to months or years of negotiation, the payment to Ms Higgins is understood to have been made after mediation lasting less than one day.

Additionally, the Commonwealth has never revealed whether it sought legal advice to test Ms Higgins’ claims of injury or whether Ms Higgins’ claims could be challenged in a court of law.

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA – DECEMBER 15: Senator Linda Reynolds in Senate estimates at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

The payment to Ms Higgins had been rumoured to be as high as $3 million, though she has in the past denied this.

Chris Merritt, vice president of the Rule of Law Foundation, told Sky News Australia “this is taxpayer’s money we don’t even know exactly how much, we don’t why it was paid out.”

“Remember … there’s been no finding of wrongdoing against anybody over the Brittany Higgins affair.”

“I think it needs to be subjected to a little bit of scrutiny and the new national anti-corruption commission is perfectly established when it opens its doors to have a look at this.”