Michaelia Money calls for launch of complete audio of lunch between Brittany Higgins and Lisa Wilkinson
Michaelia Money has demanded the discharge of the complete five-hour tape of the controversial lunch between Lisa Wilkinson and Brittany Higgins – after Each day Mail Australia revealed The Challenge host inspired the staffer to secretly report a gathering with the minister.
A dialog between Ms Higgins and her previous boss, the then-Training Minister Ms Money, recorded on February 5, 2021, later shaped a part of a proper criticism submitted to Australian Federal Police throughout Bruce Lehrmann’s rape trial in October.
This masthead revealed earlier right now Ms Wilkinson appeared to again the concept of a covert recording throughout a five-hour assembly together with her producer Angus Llewellyn, Ms Higgins and her boyfriend David Sharaz in a Sydney resort room on January 27, 2021.
Opposition authorized affairs spokeswoman Michaelia Money (pictured) has formally referred to as for the discharge of the tapes from the five-hour lunch between Lisa Wilkinson and Brittany Higgins
Ms Money mentioned she believed Channel 10, The Challenge and Lisa Wilkinson (pictured) some ‘very, very severe inquiries to reply’
‘Channel 10, The Challenge and Lisa Wilkinson have some very, very severe inquiries to reply,’ Senator Money informed Sky Information on Sunday morning.
‘All of Australia ought to really see what went on in that interview – {that a} senior journalist in Lisa Wilkinson, and the producer of The Challenge would actively have inspired a younger girl in a distressed state of affairs to mainly commit what is taken into account to be an unlawful offense.’
Ms Money blasted Wilkinson and her producer’s alleged behaviour for encouraging Ms Higgins to report her and referred to as for the Channel 10 to launch the complete transcript of the lunch.
‘I’d name on Channel 10 to formally launch the 5 hours so we will all really see what went on on this interview,’ she mentioned.
She added: ‘The encouragement to report a cellphone name and to jurisdiction store to discover a discussion board by which there is perhaps a loophole – that’s extremely disturbing for all Australians, {that a} information outlet would encourage somebody to do this. ‘
The assembly between Ms Wilkinson and Ms Higgins got here throughout an extended lunch, 5 days earlier than her rape allegations towards fellow political staffer Bruce Lehrmann have been aired on tv.
The aim of the lunch was to resolve how finest to strategy Ms Higgins’ forthcoming interview on The Challenge, which was broadcast two weeks later, by which she alleged she was raped by Mr Lehrmann in Parliament Home in 2019.
Mr Lehrmann has all the time denied the allegations. His trial on the fees ended with no verdict because the jury was dismissed when one juror introduced in exterior materials for consideration.
Through the pre-show dialog, the group spoke extensively about Ms Higgins’ expertise working as an assistant media advisor for former Employment Minister Michaelia Money within the years after her alleged assault.
A courtroom beforehand heard Ms Higgins disclosed her alleged rape to numerous colleagues, together with Senator Money, however finally determined to not take the matter to police as a result of she feared she would lose her job.
Nonetheless, within the January 2021 assembly, Ms Higgins mentioned she had been compiling the data to make use of as proof, and mentioned all units utilized by parliamentary staffers had software program put in by the federal government.
Brittany Higgins is pictured, left, exterior ACT Supreme Courtroom in October final yr
Ms Higgins informed the group her private cellphone was mysteriously wiped – together with screenshots of WhatsApp conversations with Senator Money and her former boss, then-defence trade minister Linda Reynolds.
Ms Wilkinson then mentioned: ‘What do you concentrate on on the final day, Brittany saying, ‘can somebody please inform me what occurred to my cellphone? As a result of the entire knowledge bought wiped and that features all my photographs’.’
‘Simply to see what their response is. As a result of we cannot get a response from them, if we ask the query. Nevertheless it is perhaps attention-grabbing for those who ask.’
Ms Higgins replied: ‘What is the validity of me recording any of those conversations, although? If I did have that dialog, I’d really feel safer having it recorded. However can I report these kind of conversations?’
Ms Wilkinson turned to her producer Mr Llewellyn, inviting him to reply, saying: ‘You are higher at authorized stuff than me.’
Mr Llewellyn pointed on the market are legal guidelines in NSW towards recording conversations with out the consent of all events, earlier than he realised Ms Higgins could be within the ACT.
‘Whereas all over the place else is okay. You may one way or the other get away with, however then once more, Canberra operates, and Parliament Home operates in a wacky, wacky world. So, which may be completely different to ACT guidelines as properly,’ he mentioned.
Ms Higgins mentioned: ‘Even off the report, only for corroboration’s sake, I might be prepared to report one thing of that dialog, if that occurs. Yeah.’
Brittany Higgins labored for Michaelia Money, left, when she was the employment minister, and Linda Reynolds, proper, when she was the defence trade minister
Brittany Higgins is pictured together with her boyfriend, David Sharaz. They have been each in a gathering with Wilkinson and a Channel 10 producer
Finally, Ms Wilkinson mentioned: ‘It could imply that we will not use it … However that is simply in your personal…’
To which Ms Higgins replied: ‘Yeah, precisely. And simply kind of, in your background, I suppose … As like a kind of, a sounding board about what it’s like. I’d try this for you.’
The ACT’s Listening Units Act 1992 states that it’s unlawful to report a non-public dialog except you have got the consent of all events.
The ACT Supreme Courtroom heard in October final yr, throughout Mr Lehrmann’s jury trial, that Ms Higgins did secretly report a dialog with Senator Money on February 5, 2021 – 10 days earlier than her interview on The Challenge went to air.
Throughout that cellphone name, the senator tried to dissuade her from resigning.
Ms Higgins informed the courtroom Senator Money pretended as if she did not find out about her rape allegations, and made out ‘as if safety guard has assaulted me’.
‘It was the weirdest name of my life,’ she informed the courtroom.
Through the trial, Mr Lehrmann’s lawyer Steven Whybrow cross-examined her in regards to the recording of Senator Money: ‘You recorded her on that decision with out her information?’
‘That is right,’ Ms Higgins confirmed.
Ms Higgins mentioned the recording was despatched to a number of pals for ‘safekeeping’.
The recording shaped a part of an official criticism by Mr Lehrmann’s defence lawyer, Steven Whybrow, to the Australian Federal Police on October 24 – whereas the jury was in deliberations.
Bruce Lehrmann is pictured, left, together with his defence barrister Steven whybrow
The criticism, obtained by Each day Mail Australia, contained a variety of allegations towards Ms Higgins – ‘breaches of sections 4-6 Listening Units Act’.
It learn: ‘Covertly, by way of listening system, recorded conversations with quite a few individuals with out their information or consent, together with Senator Michaelia Money and Mr Daniel Strive (Senator Money’s chief of employees).’
She was additionally accused of ‘disseminating these conversations to a number of individuals together with journalists and public relations consultants with out the consent or information of the opposite get together’.
Additional complaints by Mr Whybrow included ‘destroy or concealing proof’, which associated to a photograph of a bruise on her leg which Ms Higgins claimed was from the alleged assault.
Nonetheless, investigators have been unable to search out proof of the picture previous to January 2021. She additionally signed a statutory declaration for Channel 10 to say the picture was taken 11 days after the alleged assault.
Mr Whybrow additionally accused her of ‘deleted and/or hid communications’ with witnesses within the trial, and utilizing Instagram to query the honesty of one of many witnesses through the trial
When contacted by Each day Mail Australia, AFP wouldn’t verify whether or not an investigation into Mr Whybrow’s complaints was nonetheless open.
Mr Lehrmann’s legal trial within the ACT Supreme was aborted in December final yr.
Ms Wilkinson was approached for remark, however declined.
A spokesperson for Ms Higgins informed Each day Mail Australia: ‘I might refer you to courtroom transcripts the place Brittany responded to all of those questions underneath oath after they have been put to her by the defence lawyer.’
Remark has additionally been looked for Channel 10.
