Staffer to whom Brittany Higgins confided rape allegation got $1.48m payout

Former political staffer Fiona Brown has received $1.48 million in a settlement from the Commonwealth, over claims her workplace rights were compromised following Brittany Higgins's rape allegation. Ms Brown alleged she was made a scapegoat and denied the opportunity to defend herself as the Morrison government responded to the scandal. The case was settled through mediation earlier this month. The former political staffer to whom Brittany Higgins first disclosed her rape allegation has received a $1.48 million payout from the Commonwealth in a settlement over claims her workplace rights were compromised in the fallout of the scandal. At the time, Ms Brown was the chief of staff for then Liberal senator Linda Reynolds and became a central figure in both Mr Lehrmann's aborted criminal trial, as well as his later defamation case. The Federal Court found, on the balance of probabilities, Ms Higgins was raped by Mr Lehrmann in Senator Reynolds's office, but Justice Michael Lee did not accept claims that the government or Ms Brown had concealed the assault. A separate WA Supreme Court defamation trial brought by Senator Reynolds against Ms Higgins also dismissed claims of a cover-up. Ms Brown's Fair Work case centred on allegations that she was effectively made a scapegoat for the government as it scrambled to respond to Ms Higgins's allegations. The veteran public servant alleged media questions addressed to her were answered without her oversight and she was denied a right to defend herself. Part of her case centred on a tense Question Time in the days after the allegations, when then-prime minister Scott Morrison faced a barrage of questions about Ms Higgins's story from then-opposition leader Anthony Albanese. Ms Brown claimed she felt "frightened" and "intimidated" when she said Mr Morrison had falsely told parliament he had spoken with her about Ms Higgins when he had not. Ms Brown also said the former prime minister had refused to talk to her after the story broke, except to tell her that they had discussed the matter. The case was due to head to trial next March, with Mr Morrison and other senior public servants expected to be called as witnesses. Part of the agreement included the ability for Ms Brown to make public the settlement amount — a detail usually kept confidential by non-disclosure agreements. The settlement did not include admissions of liability or an apology by the Commonwealth. A spokesperson for the federal Attorney General Michelle Rowland said it "would not be appropriate for the Commonwealth to provide further commentary."