Brittany Higgins furious as ‘private’ diary entries leaked

Brittany Higgins has lashed out as “private” diary entries have been leaked after the material was sent to police to investigate her sexual assault allegation.

Brittany Higgins has lashed out as the “private contents” of her diary were leaked after the material was sent to police to investigate her sexual assault allegation.

Ms Higgins said a photograph she took on her phone of her diary entry was submitted to police to help them form the brief of evidence but it was not tabled in court during the rape trial of Bruce Lehrmann last October.

The material formed part of the brief of evidence which was also sent by police to prosecutors and the defence legal team during the trial.

Mr Lehrmann, a former Liberal staffer, was charged in relation to the sexual assault allegation but the trial collapsed following juror misconduct and the charge dropped by the DPP. Since he was charged in August 2021, Mr Lehrmann has maintained his innocence.

The Weekend Australian’s article, titled Doubts, devastation and a designer coat: the story you haven’t heard, today details Ms Higgins’ diary notes.

“The Weekend Australian has seen copies of two pages from Higgins’ 2021 Kikki. K gold spiral-bound diary for the week from March 8 to March 14 – the week before the March4Justice where Higgins would speak,’’ the article states.

Brittany Higgins outside court during the rape trial. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

It notes that she met with journalists that month for lunch and dinner and with former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

In response, Ms Higgins said today that the publication of her private phone records was not appropriate and she also complained it was not the first time it had happened.

“Stop publishing the private contents of my phone,’’ she said on social media. “I took a photo of an old page in my diary on the 7th of July 2021.

“It is now being referenced in an article in The Australian. This is the third time private images, texts and WhatsApps from my phone have been published by this particular news outlet.

“I voluntarily provided this material to the police to help them form the brief of evidence and none of it was tabled in court.

“Therefore, no journalist should have seen the photo of my diary.”

Ms Higgins said the fact it had leaked and was published was distressing.

“I entrusted police with my private information for the sole purpose that it could aid their investigation into my sexual assault, nothing else,’’ she said.

Brittany Higgins pictured with Linda Reynolds (left) at a dinner.

Linda Reynolds outside court during the rape trial. Picture: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

Two years after news.com.au first reported the advice obtained from the Department of Finance in relation to Brittany Higgins’ rape allegation, the correspondence is also referenced in today’s article.

According to former Defence Minister Linda Reynolds, the “secret” email bolsters her argument that Brittany Higgins was offered support and care at all times.

Marked “sensitive, personal” the correspondence outlines the steps that the Department of Finance suggested be taken when handling concerns that an employee had raised concerns she was sexually assaulted at work.

It was sent by a Department of Finance’s Lauren Barons and followed a request by the chief of staff Fiona Brown on how to respond to the matter with sensitivity and care.

Ms Barons was the person who first alerted Senator Reynolds’ office to the fact Ms Higgins had been found by security guards in the suite.

Brittany Higgins has spoken out about the contents of her diary being shared. Picture: Brittany Higgins/Instagram

The sexual assault charge against Bruce Lehrmann, who has maintained his innocence, was dropped last year. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

The email was first reported by news.com.au on February 15, 2021 and in more detail on February 17, 2021.

The date of the leaked email is crucial: Friday, 29 March 2019 at 6.05pm.

During the trial, Ms Brown confirmed she was aware by Friday that Ms Higgins had told her in a meeting “I remember him on top of me.”

Ms Brown also told the Supreme Court that she informed Senator Reynolds what Ms Higgins had said before their April 1 meeting with Ms Higgins in her ministerial suite.

Ms Reynolds has denied this under oath and in parliament.

She said she only recalled being aware of a security incident. She said that Brittany Higgins never used the word “rape” but that she nevertheless urged her to go to police.

Two years ago, she offered the following apology on the matter.

“I am deeply sorry that she felt that way because my chief of staff and I at the time genuinely wanted to provide the support that she wanted,’’ Senator Reynolds said.

However, Senator Reynolds now says she couldn’t have done more and said the Sexual Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins couldn’t tell her anything more she could have done.

At the time, the Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s office also said this: “During this process, the Minister and a senior staff member met with the staff member in the Minister’s office. Given the seriousness of the incident, the meeting should have been conducted elsewhere.”

The material was published today as part of an exclusive interview with Ms Reynolds who complains she is the victim of a “hit job”.

There is no suggestion the phone material was provided by Senator Reynolds, because she never had access to it.

Ms Higgins said the only individuals it was initially provided to was the ACT police.