Finance Minister Katy Gallagher reveals she never declared conflict over multimillion-dollar compensation payout

Katy Gallagher has revealed why she never declared a conflict of interest in relation to a multimillion-dollar compensation payout to Brittany Higgins.

Finance Minister Katy Gallagher has said she never declared a conflict of interest in relation to a multimillion-dollar compensation payout to Brittany Higgins because it “never crossed her desk.”

Senator Gallagher has been grilled for a second day over a tip off she received from Ms Higgins boyfriend David Sharaz before the story broke and her relationship with the couple.

News.com.au revealed in December that Ms Higgins’ legal team had entered negotiations over a multimillion-dollar personal injury claim.

It’s believed the original claim includes $2.5 million for future economic loss, past economic loss, general damages of future assistance with at-home care and past and future out-of-pocket expenses of a further $150,000.

Ms Higgins has previously stated that the amount it settled for was less than $3 million.

In the Senate today, Ms Gallagher revealed she was “shocked” and ”stunned” by the claim a Liberal staffer had been raped by a colleague in a ministerial office.

But asked whether she subsequently declared a conflict of interest given her close contact and the fact her own department was responsible for administering the payout she said there was never any need because the negotiation was kept at arms length.

“If it had come to me, I would have declared a conflict but it didn‘t. It didn’t cross my desk,’’ Senator Gallagher said.

“I did not get a brief. If there‘s anything further I can update the Senate about I will. (But) I had no role. And no briefing from the Department of Finance.”

Senator Gallagher has been grilled for a second day over a tip off she received from Ms Higgins boyfriend David Sharaz before the story broke and her relationship with the couple.

Senator Michaelia Cash then asked Senator Gallagher if she spoke to the Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus in relation to the matter.

“Did you or your office have any communication with the lawyer general or his office in relation to the proposed settlement of this matter? And if so, please detail the timing of that conduct,‘’ she said.

Senator Gallagher said she had not had contact but would take the question in relation to her office on notice to seek further information.

“I certainly had no contact, no contact with the Attorney General,” Senator Gallagher replied.

“Again, just for the purposes of being absolutely clear to the Senate, I will take other aspects of that on notice because that would require me going and speaking with other people, but from my point of view, no.”

Senator Gallagher asked the Coalition to consider the impact of the current debate on victims of sexual abuse and people considering making a complaint.

“I was given information from a young woman who made a serious allegation about something horrific that had happened to her in this workplace,” she said.

As Liberal MPs interjected “Allegedly!” she then rephrased her response.

“Allegedly I accept that,‘’ she said.

Senator Gallagher asked the Coalition to consider the impact of the current debate on victims of sexual abuse and people considering making a complaint.

Former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann was charged in relation to the allegation in August, 2021. He pleaded not guilty and was never convicted.

The trial collapsed following juror misconduct and the DPP subsequently dropped the charge citing concerns over Ms Higgins’ mental health.

In the Senate, Liberal Senator Marise Payne continued to grill her over her refusal to say whether David Sharaz provided her with a full transcript of Ms Higgins interview with The Project before the interview aired.

“She had asked me to keep that information confidential. Which I did,” she said.

She confirmed she did not receive any other tip offs from others including the media before the story went to air.

The trial collapsed following juror misconduct and the DPP subsequently dropped the charge citing concerns over Ms Higgins’ mental health.

“It was a serious allegation. I was shocked by it. I was stunned. I couldn‘t believe that something like that allegedly had occurred in this place A couple of years earlier. I was shocked by it. and I was shocked by how upset this young woman seemed to be.

“The timing of this story becoming public, the decisions about Ms Higgins story and how she wanted to tell it, had absolutely nothing to do with me. Absolutely nothing. Well, the implication is in that question is I was involved and I wasn’t.

“I want to remind people here today, just what the message this chamber is sending out to every other woman that might want to stand up.

“I would say that this chamber should think about how this debate and the ongoing coverage of it, is impacting on all the women out there who we are with one mouth saying, ”stand up and tell your story and we will support you” and in the other tongue using the other minister ”If you dare to do it, we will come for you.”

In the Senate, Ms Gallagher was also grilled by Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson over whether she was invited to Mr Sharaz’s wedding to his first wife Alexandra Craig,

Senator Gallagher said she did not recall getting the invite when it was reported but she declined the invitation and received many invitations when she was ACT chief minister.

Labor Senate leader Penny Wong asked the Coalition to “reflect” on a line of questioning based on leaked text messages.

“I would ask people to reflect upon whether that is an ethical thing to do, particularly given what the DPP has said about her state of mind,” she said.