Pictured: Brittany Higgins on her first day at Parliament House
EXCLUSIVE
Brittany Higgins lifts the lid on the drinking culture in Parliament House in a leaked version of her book – she names several ministers in the ‘big swinging d**ks’ group and reveals the raging Christmas when someone poured whiskey into staff’s mouths.
Ms Higgins’s rough and unfinished manuscript, obtained exclusively by Daily Mail Australia, is said to detail the moment when Bruce Lehrmann allegedly raped her in Parliament House in 2019. He firmly denies the allegations.
A series of bullet points and chapter summaries instead contain a series of observations and sharp remarks about colleagues and federal MPs during her time as an assistant media adviser to the Liberal Party.
In draft form, the book — provisionally titled #NotJustADaughter — reads like a diary as the then-young Liberal staffer struggled each day to make it through the nation’s highest office.
She’s devoted an entire chapter to raging Christmas, talking about the privileges bestowed on staffers — which seemed to consist largely of free drinks, question-hour rituals, and a stern warning from a former colleague not to “sleep around.”
While the finished book may not have resembled her original manuscript—her bullet points are not contextualized in the rough draft—it still offers valuable insight into what Ms. Higgins intended to cover.
The memoirs were intended to hit shelves in 2022, until Penguin Random House put it on indefinite hold due to legal issues – namely because Mr Lehrmann’s criminal trial failed and he was never convicted.
Ms. Higgins’ $325,000 book advance was brokered by author Peter FitzSimons just a month after her February 2021 interview with his wife, Lisa Wilkinson, on The Project.
Brittany Higgins first made her allegations against Bruce Lehrmann in an interview with Lisa Wilkinson (left). Her husband, Peter FitzSimons (right), brokered her book deal
‘The big swinging d**ks’
An enumeration of chapter five, called “the incumbent weekly cycle,” refers to Ms. Higgins’ first encounter with a “notorious” group known as “The Big Swinging D**ks” in former MP Steven Ciobo’s office.
Mr Ciobo was Ms Higgins’ boss when he was defense industry minister in 2019 – she described him as ‘Laissez-faire, bored… charismatic, boyish character’.
Ms. Higgins identified three federal ministers who were part of the group with Mr. Ciobo, recalling the time she served them drinks and was invited to a bar after work with them on a Wednesday.
She also shared that watching Question Time is more of a “tribal sport,” how she arrived at work at 6:45 a.m. every day and didn’t leave until 8:00 p.m., and the awe-inspiring moment when she was introduced to then Home Secretary Julie Bishop.
“Being introduced to Julie Bishop, my former idol, just being in awe of this world,” she wrote.
Swearing at the Christmas party
Chapter Seven, titled “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” outlines the alcoholic New Year’s Eve celebrations in 2018.
One section read: ‘The Team Ciobo ‘Christmas party at the office’.
Ms Higgins recalled that former minister Ciobo “lined up his staff and poured whiskey straight into our mouths.”
‘Charismatic’ Mr Ciobo was Ms Higgins’ boss when he was defense industry secretary in 2019
She said the event had a “Wolf of Wall Street style” — referencing the 2013 Leonardo DiCaprio movie about a financial broker Jordan Belfort known for his wealth, lecherous partying and eventual imprisonment.
She claimed over several bullet points that Mr. Ciobo had received Christmas cards from the Rothschild family and the Prince of Qatar, and that her position as a ministerial staffer meant she could attend News Corp’s Christmas party.
At that party, she met high-profile journalists Peta Credlin, Laura Jayes, and Michelle Grattan.
There were also some points under the “coalition Christmas party” heading – her memories included crying about work pressure.
Ms Higgins also said there was a tradition of ‘ministers/senators/members serving drinks to staff’, recalling former minister for Indigenous Australians Nigel Scullions making his ‘infamous mango daquiris’.
Passes, Privileges and Breakups
During the draft, Ms Higgins invariably talked about the privileges granted to people who work in the House of Parliament – including what she called unofficial free tickets to drink with lobbyists in the building.
She also said staffers could pet native Australian animals, meet local celebrities and sports stars, hold the Melbourne Cup trophy – ‘all with snacks and drinks to “lobby” the government and staffers in relation to their specific interests’.
There were also “post-question rituals” where bottles of champagne were uncorked for the office.
Brittany Higgins said she was ‘impressed’ when she met former Liberal deputy leader Julie Bishop (pictured)
Ms Higgins also spoke of earnest words of wisdom from a former colleague who warned her not to delve too deeply into the ‘Canberra scene’ and not to ‘sleep around’.
She vaguely mentioned the moment when she broke up with her long-term boyfriend on her birthday, and another when she returned to Queensland for the first time since her job in parliament and realized she didn’t want to leave the ACT.
Steven Ciobo did not respond when Daily Mail Australia contacted him.
Mr Lehrmann was charged with sexual assault in August 2021 and went on trial in October of the following year before the ACT Supreme Court. However, the trial was vacated because a member of the jury brought prohibited investigative material to the court.
The charges against Mr Lehrmann were dropped in full in December because prosecutors were concerned about Ms Higgins’ mental health.
In March this year, Mr. Lehrmann filed defamation suits against Channel Ten and Wilkinson for broadcasting and publicizing Ms. Higgins’ allegations.
He is also suing the ABC for a broadcast in which Ms. Higgins made the allegations.
Mr Lehrmann was not named as the alleged rapist in either broadcast, but believes he was recognizable to his former colleagues and in parliamentary circles.
A hearing is scheduled for November at the Federal Court.
Brittany Higgins claims that Bruce Lehrmann (pictured left, with his lawyer) raped her in Parliament House. He denies the allegation