High-profile Liberal politician accused of ‘slut shaming’ Brittany Higgins after he labelled her ‘disgustingly drunk’
- Liberal Senator Eric Abetz has been accused of slut-shaming Brittany Higgins
- Outspoken Tasmania Speaker Sue Hickey recalled March 1 exchange with him
- Said Mr Abetz told her Ms Higgins was so drunk she could have slept with a spy
- Ms Hickey said the wider community would view comments as ‘slut-shaming’
Liberal Senator Eric Abetz has been accused of slut-shaming Brittany Higgins and saying she was ‘so disgustingly drunk’ she could have slept with a spy.
Tasmania Speaker Sue Hickey told state parliament she had a conversation with Senator Abetz on March 1 at a Hobart City Council citizenship ceremony about Ms Higgins’ alleged rape at Canberra’s Parliament House.
Recounting the exchange under parliamentary privilege, Ms Hickey said she had asked Senator Abetz if a federal minister recently accused of an alleged rape that occurred around 30 years ago was Christian Porter.
Liberal Senator Eric Abetz has been accused of slut-shaming Brittany Higgins by saying she was ‘disgustingly drunk’ when she was allegedly raped in the office of Defence Minister Linda Reynolds by a male colleague. Ms Higgins is pictured at the March 4 Justice rally on March 15
‘The senator quickly responded that yes, it was the first law officer of the nation, Christian Porter, but not to worry, the woman is dead and the law will protect him,’ she told parliament on Wednesday.
‘He then said “as for that Higgins girl, anybody who is so disgustingly drunk who would sleep with anybody could have slept with one of our spies and put the security of our nation at risk”.’
Ex-Liberal staffer Ms Higgins alleges she was raped by a colleague in the office of Federal Defence Minister Linda Reynolds in 2019.
She has since made a complaint to police.
Ms Hickey told parliament she had asked Senator Abetz why security guards hadn’t stepped in, given how drunk Ms Higgins appeared to be when she and the person in question arrived at Parliament House.
‘He responded abruptly that if any security member dared to question the validity of access to the parliament by anyone who held a security pass, they would be sacked,’ she said.
Ms Higgins (pictured) went public last month with the allegation she was raped by a male colleague inside Defence Minister Linda Reynolds’ office in 2019
‘I felt sick, knowing that the last line of protection for this young woman was not able to be provided due to the practices and protocol of that parliament.
‘(These views) are not endorsed by our wider community who view this judgment as slut-shaming.
‘I know there are many good men, not only in our community but also in our Liberal Party, who would also find these comments completely unacceptable and out of touch.’