Judge urges Brittany Higgins, David Sharaz, Linda Reynolds to settle defamation suit
A judge has called on Linda Reynolds, Brittany Higgins and David Sharaz to do all they can to settle their defamation dispute ahead of its upcoming mediation hearing.
A judge has again called on Linda Reynolds, Brittany Higgins and her fiance, David Sharaz, to do everything they can to settle their defamation dispute ahead of its upcoming mediation hearing.
The WA Liberal senator is suing the couple for defamation over comments made about her on social media, some of which, she says, imply she put pressure on Ms Higgins not to proceed with a police complaint regarding her alleged sexual assault and that she interfered with the trial of Bruce Lehrmann.
One of the comments in question is a reply by Mr Sharaz on Facebook that questioned how Senator Reynolds was still in politics after she “destroyed” Ms Higgins. The commenter said: “You’re a monster who deserves to be in jail.” Mr Sharaz replied: “Thanks for reminding her. I hope she hears this every day until she dies.”
Ms Higgins and Mr Sharaz are defending themselves against the defamation claims.
In a WA Supreme Court hearing on Tuesday, Justice Marcus Solomon reiterated a plea to the parties to settle the matter in mediation in early March, having previously spoken to the “human cost of this litigation”.
“I just wanted to take the opportunity to say, again, how important it is that the parties invest whatever they can to resolve this matter,” he told the court.
Parties on Tuesday lined up a plan for a six-week trial in July, should the two-day mediation beginning on March 5 fail.
Senator Reynolds’ legal team has issued subpoenas to related people including former The Project host Lisa Wilkinson, prominent journalist Samantha Maiden, Network Ten TV producer Angus Llewellyn and Labor senator Katy Gallagher.
Senator Gallagher came under fire last year after it emerged she had been invited to Mr Sharaz’s first wedding and had learned of Ms Higgins’ allegations before they were reported. She has denied doing anything with that information.
Senator Reynolds has also threatened to seek freeze orders against Ms Higgins, after she flew out of the country last month to start a new life in France with Mr Sharaz. A spokesperson from Senator Reynolds’ office told The Australian she was “considering her position and awaiting advice from French counsel on her right to enforce an Australian judgment against assets in France”.
Ms Higgins reportedly bought a home in a village in the south of France after her $2.4m compensation settlement with the commonwealth.
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