Brittany Higgins’ alleged rape was a ‘devastating, incomprehensible and appalling act’ – which left senator Linda Reynolds ‘shaking and traumatised’

The alleged rape of Brittany Higgins in Parliament was a devastating, incomprehensible and appalling act, former Foreign Secretary Marise Payne told a defamation trial.

Senator Linda Reynolds is suing her former staff member, Ms Higgins, who claims her reputation has been damaged by a series of untruthful social media posts, including her incorrect response to the rape allegation.

Ms Payne told the Perth District Court she was “very concerned” about Ms Higgins’ alleged sexual assault and her allegations against Senator Reynolds after media reports emerged in 2021.

“Concerns as a senior member of the government, concerns that such alleged events may have occurred on the floor of parliament, and concerns about a young woman who was part of the staff team,” she told the Supreme Court of Western Australia on Tuesday.

‘It was almost incomprehensible to me that such a horrific act could take place in our federal parliament … absolutely devastating for the person involved.’

Ms Payne said she was also concerned for Senator Reynolds following Ms Higgins’ allegations about the Morrison government’s response to the 2019 incident.

“(Senator Reynolds) has long been known for her interest in and support for women’s participation in the political process. Any issues that raised questions about her involvement and the extent to which she would engage in that area would obviously be of concern to her,” she said.

“It would be extremely painful to hear how serious the allegations are that have been made about the events of a few years ago.”

Ms Payne said her friend and colleague of 30 years in the Senate chamber was put under “tremendous pressure” in the days that followed.

“A level of pressure that they’ve rarely seen before or since … and I could tell she was so upset and distressed about the claims that were being made about her that she struggled to articulate and answer those questions in the way that she had been able to before,” she said.

‘It is very difficult to describe the pressure in the House and the atmosphere during question time when you are specifically and aggressively targeted in this way by your political opponents.

“She found it made it even more difficult because she knew some of the material was being misrepresented.”

Ms Payne said the stress was so great that Senator Reynolds suffered ‘physical trauma … a combination of shaking and what I described as increased breathing’.

“That was very unusual for a woman I had known for 30 years,” she said.

Ms Payne said she was “very concerned” about the senator’s “well-being, her state of health and the impact (the political) attacks have had on her”.

“It was very disturbing and worrying to see your friend and colleague in such a situation. I think that was also the view of the majority of our friends and colleagues in the coalition parties,” she said.

She said Senator Reynolds at times experienced “deep despair about what had been alleged” and that it had affected her emotionally, mentally and physically.

Ms Payne also said she was disappointed the senator was not appointed to a shadow portfolio after the Liberal Party lost the 2022 federal election.

“I am a strong advocate for the involvement of capable women in potential roles within the Liberal Party and have been for a long time, since February 2021,” she said.

Brittany Higgins, who is defending the defamation claim, was expected to testify at the trial. But her attorney Rachael Young said Monday that she would not be present due to her medical condition and because she did not need to.