Watchdog makes decision on $2.4 million payment to Brittany Higgins in corruption case

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The National Anti-Corruption Commission has found no evidence of corrupt conduct in the settlement between Brittany Higgins and the Commonwealth.

The former Liberal staffer was awarded a $2.4 million compensation claim for damages in March 2022 following allegations she was raped by former colleague Bruce Lehrmann in Parliament House.

The payment was made in relation to distress endured from conduct while employed, future lost earnings, medical expenses, legal costs, as well as past and future domestic assistance.

Lee found that Higgins made a series of false representations in the compensation settlement, including a claim that former senator Linda Reynolds sought to cover up the sexual assault allegations.

Reynolds and then-Liberal leader Peter Dutton were among the politicians to call for the corruption watchdog to investigate the settlement’s circumstances, including the speed of the payout.

On Thursday, the commission said it found no corruption issue after “an extensive preliminary investigation into the settlement”, including no evidence of inappropriate intervention by any minister.

Reynolds previously questioned the quick mediation process, which she was denied from attending.

The NACC concluded the one-day mediation was “unexceptional”, noting it was the culmination of a 12-month process and critical to “avoiding ongoing trauma to Ms Higgins”.

A woman wearing glasses looking to the side.

Former WA Liberal senator Linda Reynolds claims she had to sue her former staffer for defamation after a “deliberate” campaign against her which set in train the “longest and largest political scandal in the nation’s history”. Source: AAP

“There is no evidence that the settlement process, including the legal advice provided, who was present at the mediation, or the amount, was subject to any improper influence by any Commonwealth public official,” the statement read.

“There is therefore no corruption issue.”

Reynolds is currently suing the Commonwealth over the settlement, alleging it did not act in her best interests during the settlement process.

The former WA senator retired from politics earlier this year and during her final speech said “the timing had been expedited” by a “powerful lie” that she had sought to cover up the incident that occurred in her office.

Criticism over the settlement amount

The compensation claim continues to draw criticism; earlier this week News Corp columnist Andrew Bolt questioned why Higgins was awarded a payout for lost earnings in light of her finding new employment.

Higgins has recently started work at a public relations agency in Sydney.

Her payout included $1.48 million to cover lost earning capacity after she was “diagnosed as medically unfit for any form of employment”.

However, the NACC found that the amount received by Higgins was “less than the maximum amount recommended by the external independent legal advice”.