Scott Morrison staffer made angry call to Ten after Brittany Higgins interview

The former PM’s adviser called Ten’s news chief directly after The Project’s interview with Brittany Higgins aired, accusing the network of ruining the career of Fiona Brown.

Brittany Higgins and Lisa Wilkinson.

Scott Morrison’s chief media adviser called Network 10’s news chief directly after Lisa Wilkinson’s interview with Brittany Higgins went to air, allegedly saying “what the f..ck was that?” and accusing the network of ruining the career of Linda Reynolds’ former chief of staff Fiona Brown, new court documents have revealed.

Emails tendered to Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation trial with Ten and Ms Wilkinson show the network’s Director of News Content Ross Dagan told his colleagues that Andrew Carswell, head of communications for the Prime Minister’s Office, called him after the interview went to air on February 15, 2021.

“Andrew Carswell from the PM’s office called the second the programme was off air and started with ‘what the f..k was that’,” Mr Dagan’s email to his colleagues reads. “I told him not to speak to me that way and that if he had something to say he should say it.”

Mr Dagan told his colleagues Mr Carswell said the interview, which detailed Ms Higgins’ rape allegations against Mr Lehrmann but did not name him as the alleged attacker, had “ruined a woman’s life”.

“It wasn’t until some minutes into the call that I realised that he was referring to Fiona Brown, not Brittany Higgins,” Mr Dagan wrote.

“He said all the correct procedures had been followed ... and that was well documented. He said there we various issues with the story – he mentioned legal concerns – I said I wasn’t intimately across the production of the programme, but there were avenues for him to make his position clear.

“He suggested there wasn’t a full right of reply ... which I said there was.”

Ms Higgins interview with Ms Wilkinson is at the centre of the mammoth defamation case, which stretched over a five-week trial at the end of last year. The parties are now awaiting a judgement from Federal Court justice Michael Lee, who could deliver it at any time.

Mr Dagan said Mr Carswell “eventually acknowledged Brittany towards the end of the call – at which point I said it was interesting that it was Fiona he had been most concerned about.”

“At least three times during the call he mentioned ruining a woman’s life/career ... all of those references were to Fiona Brown,” Mr Dagan wrote. “I ended the call letting him know there were various avenues available to him to follow-up if there were issues of accuracy or otherwise ... I then hung up.”

Asked about the conversation on Thursday night, Mr Carswell told The Australian: “That is not an accurate reflection of the conversation.”

Earlier in the trial, the court heard The Project producer Angus Llewelyn received a “furious” call from Mr Carswell the day before Ms Higgins’ interview went to air.

“I do not now recall what Mr Carswell said exactly, but I recall that he yelled at me,” Mr Llewellyn said in an affidavit.

Scott Morrison’s former head of communications Andrew Carswell.

“His entire focus was that the story could potentially paint Ms Brown, who he called ‘a legend’ of the party, in a poor light. He did not seem to me to be concerned by the allegation that a rape had allegedly occurred in a Minister’s office.

“He was furious at the thought that we may name Ms Brown.”

Mr Carswell sent an statement to Mr Llewelyn on behalf of the government the night before the interview went to air, saying: “The government takes all matters of workplace safety very seriously. No one should feel unsafe in the workplace.”

“(Minister Reynolds) reiterated to the staff member (Brittany Higgins) that whatever the staff member chose to do, they would be supported,” the statement continued. “The minister encouraged the staff member to speak with the police in order to assess the options available to them. At this meeting, the staff member indicated they would like to speak to the Australian Federal Police which the minister supported and the office facilitated.”