Brittany Higgins treated at Royal Perth Hospital amid mediation talks with Linda Reynolds

The ex-Liberal staffer was treated at Royal Perth Hospital amid a breakdown in mediation talks in a defamation case being brought against her by her former employer, Senator Linda Reynolds.

Brittany Higgins was admitted to a Perth Hospital after a breakdown in mediation talks with former employer and Senator Linda Reynolds. Picture: Sharon Smith

Brittany Higgins was hospitalised in Perth hours after forced mediation talks failed to resolve a defamation case with her former employer Senator Linda Reynolds.

Ms Higgins, a former Liberal staffer who three years ago went public with allegations of rape against a then-colleague in 2019, was treated at Royal Perth Hospital late on Tuesday following a long day of court-ordered mediation talks in the case being brought against her by Ms Reynolds.

A source told The Daily Telegraph Ms Higgins was at the hospital on Tuesday night, and discharged on Wednesday afternoon.

Ms Higgins had been due to attend a second day of talks on Wednesday, but a WA Supreme Court spokeswoman confirmed the process had been adjourned.

Ms Higgins travelled to Western Australia from her new home in France for forced mediation talks regarding a defamation case brought by Ms Reynolds.

Brittany Higgins arrives at Perth Supreme Court with fiance David Sharaz. Picture: Sharon Smith

She attended with her fiance David Sharaz, who is also being sued by Ms Reynolds.

The case stemmed from social media posts in the wake of Ms Higgins allegations she was raped by her then-Liberal staffer colleague Bruce Lehrmann in Ms Reynolds’ office in 2019, a claim Mr Lehrmann strongly denies.

A trial against Mr Lehrmann was aborted in October 2022 following juror misconduct.

A retrial was later abandoned due to fears for Ms Higgins’ mental health, leading to the charge against Mr Lehrmann being dropped.

Several hours of talks on Tuesday failed to resolve the defamation case, and the parties were due to face each other for a second consecutive day in the WA Supreme Court on Wednesday for a strategic conference, which would have been open to the media.

But a court spokeswoman confirmed the matter had been vacated.

Linda Reynolds arrives at David Malcolm Justice Centre in Perth as part of a court-ordered mediation with Brittany Higgins and David Sharaz. Reynolds is suing the engaged couple for defamation. Picture: Colin Murty

Late on Wednesday, the spokeswoman said the mediation process had been adjourned and would resume “in due course and it is proposed that the matter be listed for (a) directions” hearing within weeks.
On Wednesday night, Senator Reynolds called the negotiations “tiring and difficult” and wished Ms Higgins “a swift recovery”.

“Legal negotiations are unfortunately sometimes difficult and testing for all participants and yesterday was a tiring and difficult day for all of us,” Senator Reynolds said in a statement to The Australian.

“I attempted to minimise stress by avoiding any direct contact that may have been confronting and relying on a very experienced judge to interact with Ms Higgins.

“I proposed today through my solicitor a two-week pause in the case to enable Miss Higgins and all parties to recover and get past the stress of the court attendance and significant media attention. I hope Ms Higgins makes a swift recovery.”

Senator Reynolds wished Ms Higgins a swift recovery in a statement on Wednesday night. Picture: Colin Murty

Senator Reynolds is suing Ms Higgins and Mr Sharaz individually for defamation over comments they each made on social media. In one social media post, Ms Higgins said Senator Reynolds continued “to harass me through the media and in the parliament”.

Senator Reynolds claims she suffered loss and damage as a result of the posts, which she says are false.

She also began legal action against Mr Sharaz, claiming he defamed her in five social media posts in December 2022 and January 2023.

Among the alleged false and defamatory imputations claimed against Mr Sharaz’s posts were that Senator Reynolds pressured Ms Higgins not to proceed with a complaint to police, “is a hypocrite in her advocacy for women’s interests and empowerment”, and interfered in Mr Lehrmann’s trial.

The forced mediation went until 7pm on Tuesday night — long after the court building had closed — but both parties left without a resolution.

Ms Higgins had earlier expressed mixed emotions about returning to Perth for the talks, saying the city is a “difficult place to come back to”.

“It’s beautiful, but just personally it’s hard being back in Perth,” she said.

“I think everyone is acting in good faith trying to get an outcome.”

Justice Marcus Solomon was mediating the case alongside registrar Danielle Davies, in the hopes a trial could be avoided.

Justice Solomon warned in a previous hearing he was concerned about the “human cost of litigation”.
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