Gallagher refuses to say whether she regrets accusing Higgins cover-up
Finance Minister Katy Gallagher has refused to back a call by former senator Linda Reynolds for a parliamentary inquiry into the Brittany Higgins saga.
Finance Minister Katy Gallagher – one of the alleged “mean girls” who politically capitalised on former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins’s allegation of rape in Parliament House – has refused to back a parliamentary inquiry into the saga as called for by Ms Higgins’s former boss, Linda Reynolds.
Former senator Ms Reynolds called for a parliamentary inquiry into the saga after a West Australian Supreme Court judge found Ms Higgins had defamed Ms Reynolds with objectively false statements.
Ms Higgins’s statements had been used in parliament by Labor frontbenchers Penny Wong and Senator Gallagher to allege a cover-up.
On Wednesday, Senator Gallagher was asked whether she would concede she was wrong to claim that the Morrison government had covered up the alleged rape.
“I have already responded to all of the matters relating to this as far as I am able to do so,” she said.
“I have responded at length in the parliament. I was questioned for two weeks by the opposition.
“I’ve met every question in every question time on this and I have nothing further to say.”
She was asked again whether she “stood by” her previous cover up allegation. “All of my comments are on the record,” she said.
The deputy leader in the Senate, Senator Gallagher said it was “a matter for the parliament” whether or not it started an inquiry into the saga.
“It is a matter for parliament,” she said. “We have 27 votes in the Senate. It is a chamber of 76.
“So it is a matter for the parliament who establishes inquiries, the terms of reference for those inquiries and the conduct of those inquiries.
“It is a matter for the chamber itself or the parliament, and I’m sure the presiding officers will be considering former senator Reynolds’ letter.”
Senator Gallagher was asked whether she would apologise to the women concerned – Ms Reynolds and former chief of staff Fiona Brown – for her behaviour during the saga.
“I have, if you go back and have a look at the evidence when Linda Reynolds asked me that question, I have answered that question and I have nothing further to add,” she said.
In July 2023, Senator Gallagher apologised to Ms Reynolds over any hurt caused when Labor pursued the issue in 2021 but steadfastly defended her handling of the saga. She declined to say whether she “regret(ted)” weaponising Ms Higgins’s complaint in parliament.
Ms Higgins has dropped her appeal against the judgment that found she defamed Ms Reynolds. She has been ordered to pay $340,000 in damages and legal costs could reach up to $2m.
That judgment deemed Ms Higgins had made “objectively untrue and misleading statements” when she first went public with her allegations that Ms Reynolds had engaged in a cover-up of her alleged rape.
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