Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has dismissed the idea of referring Senator Katy Gallagher to the anti-corruption commission over a $3 million compensation payout to Brittany Higgins, a former political advisor. In December, Higgins received the payment from Gallagher’s department, but recent text messages reveal that Higgins’s boyfriend, David Sharaz, had enlisted Gallagher and Albanese to use the rape claims against former Coalition government employees for political gain. Albanese stated that he will not refer the matter to the Labor-established National Anti-Corruption Commission, as it is independent of parliamentarians and it would be inappropriate for politicians to direct its actions. The text messages also implicate Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek and the then-opposition leader, Albanese.