Katy Gallagher digs in over Brittany Higgins scandal
Katy Gallagher was defiant and all but silent as she flew into a Canberra firestorm over her knowledge of Brittany Higgins’s rape allegations.
Federal Finance Minister Katy Gallagher was defiant and all but silent as she flew into a Canberra firestorm over her knowledge of Brittany Higgins’ rape allegations, as Anthony Albanese’s ministers prepare to “back her to the hilt” against a Coalition onslaught in parliament this week.
Peter Dutton’s Senate team will focus its question time attacks throughout the week on Senator Gallagher after she conceded knowing about the rape allegations days before Ms Higgins went public, despite telling the parliament in 2021 that “no one had any knowledge”.
After a rapturous reception from Labor’s female activists at a Perth conference and the firm backing of the Prime Minister over the weekend, Senator Gallagher – wearing a “Women’s Spirit Network” hoodie – had no patience for questions as she landed back in the national capital.
“I’ve got nothing to say,” she said repeatedly after touching down in the ACT.
Senator Gallagher’s prior knowledge of the allegations was revealed in The Australian last week through leaked text message exchanges between Ms Higgins and partner David Sharaz.
Senator Gallagher is claiming she did not mislead the Senate because she was “responding to an assertion that was being made by minister (Linda) Reynolds at the time that we had known about this for weeks and had made a decision to weaponise it”.
Labor MPs were strongly supportive of Senator Gallagher on Sunday, with one minister declaring the government would “back her to the hilt”. Government MPs said they believed the Coalition’s pursuit of questions about Senator Gallagher and Ms Higgins could backfire on the Opposition Leader’s standing with women, and that the opposition would begin to restrain themselves.
When approached by The Australian at Canberra Airport, Senator Gallagher would not clarify why her 2021 statement to the Senate did not encompass the fact she knew about Ms Higgins’ rape claim ahead of it being revealed by News Corp Australia and Network Ten’s The Project.
“I refer you to the statement because I have addressed that,” she said. “I’ve addressed this in the statement.”
If Senator Gallagher does not elaborate on her weekend statement in parliament this week the onus will be on the Coalition to push for transparency on the issue by backing a Senate inquiry.
A motion to establish a Senate inquiry is being considered by the Coalition but would need the support of the senate crossbench to be established.
Opposition legal affairs spokeswoman Michaelia Cash – who Ms Higgins worked for before she spectacularly quit and went public with her rape allegations – said Senator Gallagher still had questions about potentially misleading parliament.
“I believe that the explanation that has now been given is not adequate,” Senator Cash told Sky News. “I believe that it is very, very flimsy. It does not accord with the indignation that she showed.
“But more than that, messages say she was also given a copy of The Project interview prior to The Project interview actually going to air, are you actually telling me she didn’t read it?
“She didn’t talk to members of the Labor Party about it.
“As I said, there are very serious questions here, which need to be answered.”
Ms Higgins’ former boss was also furious at the revelations that Channel 10 star Lisa Wilkinson had suggested Ms Higgins secretly record her conversations with the Liberal frontbencher – which is illegal in the ACT – in a five-hour pre-record conversation before The Project interview.
Signalling Labor’s defence tactics ahead of the parliamentary week, Aged Care Minister Anika Wells said no one in Canberra had done more to address women’s issues in parliament than Senator Gallagher.
“The political conjecture that has gone on this week about this issue, I find pretty horrifying,” Ms Wells told The Australian.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong also over the weekend admitted she knew “some details” of the rape allegations before they were made public, as the Coalition accuses Labor of weaponising the issue.
Former prime minister Scott Morrison has also been accused of misleading parliament by the political staffer at the centre of the allegations. In an interview with The Weekend Australian, Mr Morrison’s director of operations, Fiona Brown, said her former boss misled parliament when he claimed to have spoken to her about Ms Higgins.
The Australian understands the Albanese government is unlikely to pursue Mr Morrison over Ms Brown’s claims.
The controversy is expected to dominate the final sitting fortnight before the winter break, as the government attempts to secure support for the creation of the $10bn fund for public and affordable housing.
The Greens have called on Labor to meet them halfway, demanding $2.5bn for public and affordable housing and a rent freeze. Housing Minister Julie Collins said she was “working across the parliament” to secure support for the Bill, adding that a rent freeze was outside the government’s power to deliver as it fell to the states and territories.
The Senate is also expected to be dominated by debate over the voice to parliament.
Additional reporting: Rhiannon Down
