Via Crikey:
According to Guardian Australia, Scott Morrison and then-special minister of state Alex Hawke were both represented at an April 2019 meeting about dismissing the Liberal staffer who Brittany Higgins had accused of sexual assault. The meeting was reportedly attended by then-defence minister Linda Reynolds’ chief of staff, Fiona Brown, and finance department officials.
Revealed in Senate estimates yesterday, the April 4 meeting included representatives from each minister’s office and saw officials provide advice on the sacking. It occurred after Higgins’ reported the allegation to Brown on March 26 and met with Reynolds on April 1.
The accused Liberal staffer was then sacked on April 5, but department officials only took on notice questions yesterday whether the reason was discussed in the meeting, including whether it was characterised as an alleged sexual assault or a security breach — the reason cited by Morrison when Higgins went public in February this year.
The news comes days after Higgins’ partner, David Sharaz, condemned a report that declined to find that Morrison’s office backgrounded journalists against him.
PS: Elsewhere, Sydney defamation barrister Sue Chrysanthou has been barred from acting for Christian Porter in his case against the ABC, after she previously advised a potential witness.
Lies are this government’s stock in trade.
