Alleged victim Brittany Higgins says investigation ‘long overdue’ as PM orders inquiry into rape claims

Alleged rape victim of an ex-Liberal staffer welcomes investigation as PM vows to change culture in parliament.

Brittany Higgins, the former Liberal staffer allegedly raped by a colleague at Parliament House, has called for a comprehensive review of legislation governing political staff and an independent complaints handling process in a bid to prevent cases of sexual assault and better protect employees.

Speaking in Parliament House on Tuesday morning, the Prime Minister apologised to Brittany Higgins who alleged she was raped in March 2019 by a former colleague in Senator Reynolds’ office after a night out drinking. Ms Higgins is preparing to ask the Australian Federal Police to investigate the incident, plunging the Morrison government into damage control over claims that it had failed adequately to support her.

Mr Morrison announced Western Australian Liberal MP Celia Hammond would investigate how to improve the Coalition’s standards and practices around workplace bullying and assault.

Mr Morrison, who said he was only made aware of the alleged assault on Monday, apologised to Ms Higgins after she was asked to attend a meeting in April 2019 with then defence industry minister Linda Reynolds in the office in which the alleged rape occurred.

“That should not have happened and I do apologise,” he said.

Thanks for apology

Ms Higgins thanked Mr Morrison for the apology — which she noted had been done via the media — and said she shared her story because she didn’t want her experience to happen to anyone else.

Brittany Higgins who has made shocking claims that she was raped while in the defence industry minister's office in Parliament House.

“The Prime Minister’s announcement of an investigation into the culture in Parliament House is a welcomed first step, though it is long overdue,” Ms Higgins said.

“It should not have taken my story, or the story of other victim-survivors to air on national television for the Prime Minister or any member of parliament to take action on workplace sexual harassment, assault or bullying.

“A clear path forward is now required and that includes a comprehensive review to the Members of Parliament (Staff) Act to ensure adequate protections for staff. There needs to be an independent reporting mechanism for staff where they can confidently and safely make complaints, similar to processes in many other workplaces in Australia and abroad.

“Finally, everyone should feel safe to report sexual assault without fear of losing their job. These incidents shouldn’t have to play out in the media for change to happen.”

PM’s vow: We must do better

Scott Morrison has vowed to change the culture in Parliament House in the wake of the alleged rape of a 24-year-old staffer in 2019, declaring “we must do better” to protect young women.

Announcing he will appoint an expert on workplace culture in parliament as he declared the alleged rape a “wake up call” for the treatment of women in federal parliament.

The PM told the Coalition party room on Tuesday “we cannot have an environment where anyone feels unsafe in their workplace” or where a young woman is left in a vulnerable situation.

He is understood to have said that workplaces across the nation were looking to politicians to lead by example.

“Workplaces around the country are also taking cues from us so we have a special responsibility in this building,” he said.

Mr Morrison said bad behaviour was unacceptable and encouraged MPs and Senators to maintain appropriate professional distance from their staff.

Enlisting Ms Hammond to work with government WHIPS and MPs to identify ways to change workplace “standards and culture” around workplace bullying and assault, he encouraged MPs to “openly engage” in the process.

Mr Morrison said Anthony Albanese and the Opposition would be welcome to participate in the workplace review.

‘Genuine emotion’

Mr Morrison also said he was sure Senator Reynolds did her best to support Ms Higgins at the time, but that was not how her former staffer felt two years later.

One MP praised the “genuine emotion” Mr Morrison demonstrated this morning when he said his wife, Jenny, had encouraged him to look at the issue through the lens of a father.

Another is understood to have said the party had not dealt with cultural workplace issues.

Mr Morrison used his opening remarks to call for “humility” from the government.

“One of the things that marks our government or is always an aspiration is humility,” he said. “It’s one of the most important things that any government can have constantly striving to have a sense of perspective on what is occurring at any one time. And that perspective has come across.”

Review of parliament process

Mr Morrison has also appointed Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet official Deputy Secretary Stephanie Foster to review parliament's process for investigating reported assaults in the workplace. Mr Morrison said Ms Foster would consider how to make alleged assaults immediately referred to Department of Finance officials.

“Because at the end of the day, Brittany did not feel that occurred and that’s what matters,” he said.

Police investigation

Mr Morrison said it was appropriate that the allegation be investigated by police and confirmed that the CCTV from the night of the incident, was still in possession of parliamentary services at the request of police.

Mr Morrison also refuted the suggestion that the issue was specific to the Liberal Party.

“This is an issue that I think goes right across the span of all political parties, all offices and including, I suspect, even in the media.”

“This is a problem we all have and we all must do together.”

Mr Morrison said the conversation with his wife prompted him to reflect on the alleged incident.

“Jenny and I spoke last night and she said to me, you have to think about this as a father first. What would you want to happen if it were our girls? Jenny has a way of clarifying things,“ he said.

“It shatters me that still, in this day and age, that a young woman can find herself in the vulnerable situation that she was in, not her doing” he said.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Gary Ramage

“We have to do whether it’s in this workplace or any other workplace in the country to ensure that people can work safely in their place.”

Ms Higgins, who worked for several Coalition ministers including Steven Ciobo, Linda Reynolds and Michaelia Cash, alleged she was raped on March 23, 2019, by a former colleague in Senator Reynolds’ office after a night out drinking. She resigned as a Liberal staffer last month and has moved away from Canberra, saying she had started to experience panic attacks when arriving and exiting Parliament House’s ministerial entrance