Doubts over Linda Reynolds’ return as Defence Minister

Some Coalition MPs say the Defence Minister’s position is becoming increasingly ­untenable given the importance and sensitivity of the portfolio.

Defence Minister Linda Reynolds has checked in to a Canberra hospital after the stress of the past week exacerbated an existing health problem. Picture: AAP

Government MPs and industry figures are questioning the future of Linda Reynolds as Defence Minister after she was admitted to hospital following increased pressure over her handling of the ­alleged rape of former staffer Brittany Higgins in her office.

Scott Morrison is standing by his embattled minister, who went to hospital on Wednesday as a “precautionary measure” after the stress of the past week exacerbated an existing medical condition relating to her heart. She remained in hospital overnight.

While government sources stressed the Prime Minister was not considering a reshuffle and expected Senator Reynolds would be back at work soon, some Coalition MPs said her position was becoming increasingly ­untenable given the importance and sensitivity of the defence portfolio.

There were no suggestions she should be pushed out but — frustrated and surprised by how she had dealt with the rape allegations in 2019 and the fallout over the past 10 days — they questioned how Senator Reynolds could return to the role as normal.

Dozens of defence industry executives had flown to Canberra for a National Press Club address Senator Reynolds was due to give on Wednesday, but which was cancelled just after 9am following her admission to hospital.

Twice this week Senator Reynolds had to correct statements to the Senate after wrongly claiming she met with the ­Australian Federal Police about the rape allegations alone and on two occasions. In fact, Senator Reynolds had just one meeting with the police, on April 4, where she was joined briefly by her then chief of staff, Fiona Brown.

The minister, who briefly broke down in parliament last week, has also been under pressure over the $90bn submarine and $45bn frigate programs, as well as the failure of Defence to come up with a response to the Brereton war crimes inquiry. Small and medium-sized ­defence industry players are ­becoming increasingly angry that opportunities to work on the mega-projects are yet to materialise.

Brittany Higgins

Mr Morrison said the AFP had told Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet secretary Philip Gaetjens, who is investigating who in his office knew what about the rape allegations and when, that any report “must not prejudice an ongoing investigation”. That could prevent the Prime Minister from sharing details of Mr Gaetjens’ ­investigation.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton is the favourite to replace Senator Reynolds in the portfolio if she stands down, but filling his super ministry would present a fresh problem for Mr Morrison.

Ms Higgins, who made a formal statement to the AFP on Wednesday nearly two years after she was allegedly raped by a colleague on March 23, 2019, said she “genuinely hoped” Senator Reynolds was OK. The former staffer chose not to proceed with a police investigation at the time of the ­alleged rape because she says she felt her job would be put at risk.

“Let’s just hope that from this whole horrible situation there will actually be some fundamental reform to the MOP(S) (Members of Parliament Staff) Act for vulnerable staff and improvements to the workplace culture in Parliament House,” Ms Higgins said.

Mr Dutton was first briefed by AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw about the rape allegations on February 11 this year, a day ­before Mr Morrison says his office knew about the incident and four days before Ms Higgins went public. Government sources said the AFP’s Sensitive Investigations Oversight Board met on February 11, shortly after Ms Higgins re-engaged with police, indicating she wanted to pursue the sexual ­assault allegations, and deemed the matter a sensitive investigation. That prompted Mr Kershaw to brief Mr Dutton.

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham confirmed on Wednesday that Ms Higgins’ alleged perpetrator was on the lobbyist register after being sacked from Senator Reynolds’ office in March 2019. There were investigations afoot into whether he had been signed into Parliament House for meetings since that time.

A criticism is that as a former army reserve brigadier, Senator Reynolds has difficulty imposing her will on the notoriously difficult to manage Department of Defence. “She is allowing the ­department to manage her, not the other way around,” an ­industry source said.

“Her office is full of Defence people. She is singing the Defence tune, not pushing them like they need to be pushed. The Department of Defence needs a strong minister, not one who is overawed by the CDF (Chief of the Defence Force) and the secretary.”

However, sources inside the big foreign-owned defence companies expressed support, arguing the size of the programs under way would stretch any minister.