Brittany Higgins’ fiancé David Sharaz invited Katy Gallagher to his wedding

Brittany Higgins’ fiancée, David Sharaz, was so close to Treasury Secretary Katy Gallagher that she was invited to his wedding.

Senator Gallagher has come under fire for her department’s involvement in Ms. Higgins’ compensation package, worth up to $3 million, which was paid in December — a day after the case against her alleged rapist was dropped.

Ms Higgins alleged that her former colleague Bruce Lehrmann sexually assaulted her in Parliament House in 2019. He has consistently denied the allegations.

The federal minister has repeatedly insisted she played no part in the hefty payout, refuting claims she had a close friendship with Mr Sharaz prior to February 2021, when Ms Higgins made her rape allegations on TV show The Project .

She told Radio National on Wednesday that she “knew him” from when he was a journalist in Canberra, but said she had “nothing more to add”.

However, Daily Mail Australia can reveal that Mr Sharaz’s relationship with Senator Gallagher stretched to the point where she was invited to attend his wedding to his ex-wife Alexandra Craig in 2018.

She did not attend the wedding, but the invitation seemed to stem from a friendship that began nine years ago when Mr Sharaz worked for WIN News Canberra in 2014.

Mr. Sharaz interviewed Senator Gallagher on television in 2014 and 2015, long before she became a member of the federal parliament, and asked her a series of questions about her future in politics.

One interview aired in March 2015, the day before the current Treasury Secretary was sworn into the Senate.

‘Are you nervous?’ he asked, referring to her new job in federal politics.

“Yes, very nervous,” she replied.

“Maybe when you look at politicians you think it’s those egos that never get nervous, or worry about stuffing them or doing the wrong thing, but to me it’s just like any other job I’ve ever had.”

David Sharaz met Senator Gallagher while working for WIN News. He interviewed her on television in 2014 and 2015

Mr Sharaz is photographed interviewing Katy Gallagher in 2015 – a day before she was sworn into the Senate

Senator Gallagher’s ties to Mr Sharaz have been questioned repeatedly since Ms Higgins was awarded her multi-million dollar claim, most notably in reference to a series of text messages released by The Australian on Wednesday.

Four days before Ms. Higgins appeared on The Project in February 2021, Mr. Sharaz texted Mrs. Higgins: “Katy [Gallagher] comes to me with a few questions you need to prepare for… She’s really invested now ha ha.’

He later added, “She’s an old friend. We opened a chair together! So you can trust her.’

Mrs. Higgins replied, “In the future, please pass my details on to Katy.” I’m happy to talk to her.’

Mr Sharaz said, ‘No, no. That’s really okay… I don’t mind talking to Katy. But we can both talk to her if that’s easier.’

Mrs. Higgins said, “Please send people my way.”

Later the same day, Mr Sharaz said to Mrs Higgins, ‘Katy Gallagher has messaged me. She is angry and wants to help. She has the context. They say they knew something was wrong because they fired Bruce and not you. They avoided a scandal.’

Mrs. Higgins asked, “May I see her message?”

Four days before Ms. Higgins appeared on The Project, Mr. Sharaz messaged Ms. Higgins about Senator Gallagher (photo, mock-up of text)

Later the same day, Mr. Sharaz told Mrs. Higgins, “Katy Gallagher has messaged me. She is angry and wants to help. She has the context’ (photo, mock-up of the lyrics)

Mr Sharaz replied, ‘Yes! i gave her [The Project] interview for context. I hope that’s ok? She does nothing with it. But I’m also happy to go out and let her talk to you if you want.

“Actually, I wanted her to understand all the context, because it’s so complicated.”

Mrs. Higgins said, “That’s fine. It will all become public pretty soon haha.’

Conservation over Senator Gallagher continued on March 18, 2021 – a month after Ms Higgins’ allegations aired – with the couple growing increasingly concerned about former Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s background.

“You might as well give everything you’ve got to Katy,” Ms Higgins told Mr Sharaz on March 18.

“The sooner we can nip it in the bud, the better. Especially if we can call them by name,” Ms. Higgins wrote, hoping the senator can raise the issue in the Senate.

Mr. Sharaz replied, “I texted Katy and SHY (Green Senator Sarah Hanson Young).

The pair also spoke of calling journalists and media figures to their cause after contacting Mr Morrison’s chief of staff, John Kunkel, whom they blamed for backing people against them.

When Senator Gallagher was in opposition, he grilled the coalition over the handling of Ms. Higgins’ complaints

David Sharaz and Katy Gallagher (pictured together during an interview) have known each other for nine years

“Should we ask Katy Gallagher for advice on kunkel? She is politically quite ferocious haha,” Mr Sharaz wrote to Ms Higgins on 5 May 2021.

He then suggests giving the media a “drop” of information before Mrs. Higgins says, “He’ll just deny confirming anything.” These meetings are more in their interest than ours. I’ll tell Tanya and ask her advice.’

Mr. Sharaz replied, “Plibersek? That is a good idea.’

Senator Gallagher previously denied having any knowledge of the allegation against Mr Lehrmann before it was made public or that she was asking questions on behalf of the couple.

In June 2021, Ms Gallagher was questioned in Parliament as to whether she was aware of Ms Higgins’ allegations before the story became known.

Linda Reynolds, Secretary of Defense at the time, said, “I was told by one of your senators what you intended to do with the story in my office two weeks earlier.”

Senator Gallagher replied, “Nobody had any knowledge. How dare you.’

However, the latest revelations have led to claims that the senator may have misled parliament.

Earlier this week, audio emerged of a conversation between Mr Sharaz, Ms Higgins, Wilkinson and a Channel 10 producer in January 2021 — two weeks before Ms Higgins’ allegations aired.

The group discussed how best to maintain momentum after the program had aired, when Mr Sharaz asked Wilkinson if she knew of any ‘friendly MPs’ who could put questions to the then Liberal government during question time.

Senator Gallagher is under fire for her department’s involvement in Ms. Higgins’ compensation package, worth up to $3 million

He then said: ‘I have a friend at Labour, Katy Gallagher on the Labor side, who will look into it and take it forward.

“So sit for a week, the story gets out, they have to answer questions during question time, it’s a mess for them.”

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Senator Gallagher for comment.

Mr Lehrmann pleaded not guilty to the rape of Ms Higgins during his criminal trial in the ACT Supreme Court last October.

The case was dropped after a juror brought unauthorized material into the jury room.

A second trial was set to go ahead in February, but Shane Drumgold, ACT’s director of public prosecutors, dropped the case because of the “significant and unacceptable” risk to Ms Higgins’ mental health.

Hours after the case was dropped, Ms. Higgins’ attorneys reportedly drafted a draft damages claim against the Commonwealth and two of her former bosses, Senator Reynolds and Senator Michaelia Cash.

Ms. Higgins intended to sue for sexual harassment, sex discrimination, disability discrimination, negligence and victimization.

The claim was expected to be worth approximately $3 million, including $2.5 million for future economic loss, past economic loss of nearly $100,000 and general damages of $100,000.

The handling of the case by the Australian Federal Police and the Department of Public Prosecutions is now being reviewed by an independent inquiry.