The Labor party has been accused of using Brittany Higgins’ rape allegations for political gain. After launching legal action against her previous employers in the coalition government, Higgins reached a compensation agreement with the Commonwealth in December 2022. The alleged assault occurred in 2019 in the office of then-Coalition minister Linda Reynolds, whom both Higgins and Bruce Lehrmann worked for. Lehrmann consistently denied the allegations. Recently, text messages between Higgins and her partner David Sharaz suggested that they strategized with Labor minister Katy Gallagher about her story following the rape allegation becoming public. The opposition claims Senator Gallagher misled Parliament when she denied being tipped off about the allegations before the media reported on them. The opposition has called on senior government members to clarify what they knew and when. The Federal Court of Australia heard claims that the leaked phone records were part of an orchestrated campaign to influence Lehrmann’s defamation action. Sue Chrysanthou S.C., who is representing a journalist involved in the case, suggested that Lehrmann be questioned if he was involved in the leak, which he has denied. Senator Reynolds has threatened to refer Higgins’ compensation payment to the National Anti-Corruption Commission with the support of her leader Peter Dutton. A report on the handling of the rape trial is expected in July. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the opposition’s attack “bizarre.” The article was written by Andrew Brown and Paul Osborne.