Brittany Higgins demands apology from Linda Reynolds over ‘defamatory’ insult

Defence Minister Linda Reynolds could face defamation action as Brittany Higgins called for an apology over her “lying cow” insult.

Defence Minister Linda Reynolds could face defamation action as Brittany Higgins called for an apology over her “lying cow” insult.

A law firm representing the former Liberal staffer has demanded “an immediate and unequivocal public withdrawal of your comments and apology to our client for the hurt and distress caused”, according to The Australian.

The letter sent by Ms Higgins’s lawyer, Rebekah Giles, states that the “demeaning and belittling statement, in which you refer to our client as a member of the animal kingdom and declare her to be untruthful, is highly defamatory of our client’s good character and unblemished reputation.”

The company said the letter constitutes a Concerns Notice under Australian defamation legislation.

“The cavalier manner in which those words were spoken make it plain that they were not spoken privately or in confidence,” the letter said.

Defence Minister Linda Reynolds could face a lawsuit after her ‘lying cow’ comment about Brittany Higgins. Picture: Sam Mooy/Getty Images

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Ms Higgins, who claims she was raped on a couch in the minister’s office in 2019, described the remarks as “incredibly hurtful”, saying the revelations about the slur had hit her hard and left her distressed.

“The comments made by Minister Reynolds are incredibly hurtful,’’ Ms Higgins told news.com.au.

“I appreciate that it has been a stressful time but that sort of behaviour and language is never excusable.

“It’s just further evidence of the toxic workplace culture that exists behind closed doors in Parliament House.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said he will not sack Senator Reynolds for the “offensive” description.

Speaking on Thursday morning, Mr Morrison called for compassion for the Defence Minister on the grounds she had a “stressful week” after it was revealed she had known for two years that an ex-staffer had alleged she was raped on her office couch.

Scott Morrison has said he will not sack Senator Reynolds for the ‘offensive’ description of former Liberal party staffer Ms Higgins. Picture: ABC News

RELATED: ‘Lying cow’: Senator’s Brittany slur

He noted that Senator Reynolds had apologised to her staff and “knows those comments to have been inappropriate and wrong.”

At the time, Senator Reynolds had refused requests in writing for a response to the claims for four days, before calling Ms Higgins a “lying cow” over her account of how the office handled her allegations.

Mr Morrison stressed she had never questioned Ms Higgins’ account of the alleged rape.

“Her comments, she said to me, related to the further commentary about levels of support provided, and her frustrations about how she felt that they were doing everything they believed in their power to provide support, clearly, over a period of time there was a very different view about that. And we’ve acknowledged that, and that’s why we’re addressing the issues the way that we are.”

Senator Reynolds, who is currently on sick leave at the advice of her cardiologist, said the revelation by news.com.au that the ex-staffer was allegedly raped on her office couch was “a stressful time in the office”.

She said she was not questioning Ms Higgins’ account of the alleged assault but was commenting on “news reports regarding surrounding circumstances that I felt had been misrepresented”.