Brittany Higgins hospitalised amid Linda Reynolds mediation talks

Brittany Higgins was treated in a Perth hospital after court-ordered mediation talks with her former boss Linda Reynolds appeared to stall.

Brittany Higgins outside the Perth Supreme Court. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Sharon Smith

Brittany Higgins has been hospitalised after what her former employer Linda Reynolds described as a stressful and difficult day of mediation between the pair.

Senator Reynolds, who is suing Ms Higgins and her fiance David Sharaz over comments they made about the former defence minister in the wake of Ms Higgins alleging she had been raped by fellow staffer Bruce Lehrmann, issued a statement on Wednesday evening in which she said she was “very concerned” for Ms Higgins’ wellbeing.

Ms Higgins was treated at a Perth hospital on Tuesday night, just hours after the end of a marathon nine-hour mediation session in the Western Australian Supreme Court.

Judge Marcus Solomon and registrar Danielle Davies – who herself is considered one of WA’s most effective mediators – had been trying to help the parties to reach a settlement before the matter could proceed to trial.

Linda Reynolds and lawyer Martin Bennett, right. Picture: Colin Murty

“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.

“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.”

In comments that now look prophetic, Justice Solomon last year urged the parties to settle the matter through mediation after warning of the financial and human cost that would come from a protracted defamation trial.

David Sharaz. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Sharon Smith

A strategic conference between Senator Reynolds, Ms Higgins and her fiance David Sharaz that was scheduled for Western Australia’s Supreme Court on Wednesday afternoon was abandoned without explanation at the last minute.

Ms Higgins and Mr Sharaz had travelled to Perth for the proceedings from their new home in France.

The protracted dispute is shaping up as a potentially costly one for all the parties involved.

Legal sources have estimated that the high-profile lawyers engaged in the matter will be costing the parties between $50,000 and $70,000 a day.

Shortly before Tuesday’s mediation kicked off, Ms Higgins shared an image on social media bearing the words ‘I won’t stay silent so you can stay comfortable’.

Senator Reynolds, a former defence minister, earlier this year confirmed that she would retire from politics at the next election.

She recently received an apology and a $90,000 settlement from the ACT government over accusations against her by former chief prosecutor Shane Drumgold, and last year reached a settlement with HarperCollins and Australian Financial Review journalist Aaron Patrick over statements in his book Ego: Malcolm Turnbull and the Liberal Party’s Civil War.