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Liberal Senator Michaelia Cash is in turmoil after details of Brittany Higgin’s compensation settlement with the Commonwealth government were made public. She said she was never asked for her version of events.
The role of Ms Cash and her then chief of staff Daniel Try in the saga has been called into question after the settlement document was released on Thursday.
The deed contains claims that Ms Cash breached her duty of care to Ms Higgins while the young employee worked in her office by ignoring her claim that she had been sexually assaulted, despite knowing about the allegation for some time.
Senator Cash and Mr Try denied knowledge of Ms Higgins’ allegation until shortly before it became public.
The document shows that Ms Higgins’ legal team had considered taking legal action for sexual harassment and victimization while she was employed by Senator Cash’s office.
On Friday, Senator Cash told Canberra Radio she could not attend the mediation between the Albanian government and Ms Higgins if she wanted to retain taxpayer-funded legal advice from the Commonwealth.
She complained that the deed contained only Ms Higgins’ version of events.
‘Let me be very, very clear. It is now up to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to explain why his government paid out $2.4 million while relying on only one side of the story,” Cash said.
“I was instructed by Attorney General Mark Dreyfus not to participate in the mediation.
“Not only were I or any of my associates not allowed to participate in the mediation, our version of events was never asked.
‘And I understand that the settlement was reached after one day of mediation.
‘That is highly unusual if you rely on one person’s versions of the day. The Commonwealth admitted no liability.
“It’s a $2.4 million payout. And I was instructed by the Attorney General of Australia not to participate in the mediation. There are serious questions for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to explain to the Australian people why his government rejected me and Linda [Reynolds] the right to defend ourselves.’
The document, which Judge Michael Lee ruled could be released on Thursday, showed taxpayers had paid $2.445 million as part of Ms Higgins’ compensation scheme.
Earlier this week, Ms. Higgins said in testimony that she had personally received $1.9 million as part of a total $2.3 million payout.
The settlement was dated December 13, 2022, 10 days after former ACT Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold withdrew charges against Mr Lehrmann.
The deed shows that Mrs Higgins’ “pain, suffering and humiliation” was valued at $400,000, past and future domestic help cost $100,000, medical costs $220,000, legal costs another $245,000 and $1,480,000 was paid for lost wages.