Katy Gallagher breaks her silence on accusations she misled parliament over prior knowledge of Brittany Higgins’ rape claim

  • Minister said it was ‘not true she’d misled parliament
  • Sai she’s been ‘clear’ and ‘honest’ at all times

By Liam Beatty For Nca Newswire

Published: 04:43 BST, 10 June 2023 | Updated: 04:48 BST, 10 June 2023

Finance Minister Katy Gallagher has broken her silence to ‘categorically deny’ she misled parliament on Brittany Higgins’ rape allegation.

Ms Gallagher addressed reporters outside an event in Perth on Saturday afternoon to say she’d been ‘clear’ and ‘honest’ at all times.

Senator Gallagher was previously quizzed in Senate Estimates in June 2021 about the extent of her knowledge on the allegation before the story broke.

In response to a claim a Labor senator had tipped off then-Defence Minister Linda Reynolds, she said: ‘No-one had any knowledge’.

Katy Gallagher has denied she misled parliament at a press conference. Picture: Sandhya Ram

Katy Gallagher has denied she misled parliament at a press conference. Picture: Sandhya Ram 

But this week, leaked texts obtained by The Australian, suggest Ms Higgins’ boyfriend David Sharaz was in contact with Ms Gallagher before the allegations of rape were made public.

Addressing the texts, Ms Gallagher said she had been made aware of ‘some allegations’ in the days leading up to Ms Higgins explosive interview in February 2021.

Addressing the texts, Ms Gallagher said she had been made aware of 'some allegations' in the days leading up to Ms Higgins explosive interview in February 2021

Addressing the texts, Ms Gallagher said she had been made aware of 'some allegations' in the days leading up to Ms Higgins explosive interview in February 2021

Addressing the texts, Ms Gallagher said she had been made aware of ‘some allegations’ in the days leading up to Ms Higgins explosive interview in February 2021 

‘I’ve been clear, I’ve been honest and at all times I’ve been guided by the bravery and courage of a young women who chose to speak up about her workplace and from that we have had massive changes to that workplace,’ she said.

‘(I was told) There was going to be some public reporting that a young woman making serious allegations about events that occurred in a minister’s office … were going to become public.’

More to come.

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