Linda Reynolds threatens to sue Brittany Higgins over furious Instagram post

Brittany Higgins has received a concerns notice from her former boss and ex-defence minister Linda Reynolds threatening legal action over an Instagram story.

Ms Higgins lashed out Ms Reynolds in the post on Tuesday after the senator said she would refer her payout from the Commonwealth, reportedly a total of $2.5million, to a new federal corruption watchdog .

The former Coalition minister is also suing Ms Higgins’ fiancé David Sharaz for defamation over two tweets posted last year, she said.

‘This has been going on for years now. It has to stop,’ Ms Higgins wrote in her Instagram story,

On Thursday she posted to Twitter: ‘I’ve just received a concerns notice from Linda Reynolds threatening defamation over an Instagram story. 

‘I’m considering my legal options.’ 

On Thursday Brittany Higgins posted on Twitter: ‘I’ve just received a concerns notice from Linda Reynolds threatening defamation over an Instagram story.

A concerns notice is the first legal step towards a defamation action.

In the original post, Ms Higgins included screenshots of news articles about Senator Reynolds claiming that Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus had shown prejudice over the inquiry into Bruce Lehrmann’s prosecution.

Mr Lehrmann was alleged to have raped Ms Higgins in Ms Reynolds’ parliamentary office after a boozy night out in 2019, which he strenuously denies.

Another screenshot linked to a story about Ms Reynolds referring Ms Higgins’ Commonwealth payout from December 2022 to the new National Anti-Corruption Commission.

Ms Higgins added: ‘These are just headlines from today.’

The former Liberal staffer also alleged the senator ‘continues to harass’ her through the media and in Parliament.

‘My former boss who has publicly apologised for mishandling my rape allegation,’ she said.

‘Who has had to publicly apologise after defaming me in the workplace. Who is suing my fiancé for a tweet.’

Ms Reynolds paid damages to Ms Higgins after she called her a ‘lying cow’ in the wake of the rape allegations and Ms Higgins’ subsequent treatment in Canberra.

The senator later retracted the comments and insisted she had not meant them in the ‘sense that it may have been understood’.

Ms Reynolds added: ‘Given that the comment was made public, which I never intended, I also want to retract it and unreservedly apologise to Brittany Higgins and acknowledge the hurt and distress it caused to her.’

At the time, Ms Higgins said she accepted the apology and vowed to donate the money from Ms Reynolds to a sexual assault support group in the Canberra area. 

Linda Reynolds (pictured) has referred Ms Higgins’ reputed $2.5million payout from the Commonwealth to the newly-formed National Anti-Corruption Commission

Ms Reynolds also came under cross examination from ACT Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold during Mr Lehrmann’s trial

The senator admitted she had texted his defence lawyers looking for transcripts of Ms Higgins’ evidence to the ACT Supreme Court. 

Mr Drumgold also told the court Ms Reynolds’ partner was sitting in court throughout the trial. 

He added: ‘You have sought the transcripts haven’t you? Why? You arranged for your partner to be sitting in the court.’

He accused her of trying to coach the defence lawyers, which she denied and said she had not been given transcripts because her own lawyer told it was inappropriate.

‘My lawyer was very clear,’ she said.

Mr Lehrmann’s trial was later abandoned because of juror misconduct and the rape charge was later dropped over concerns for Ms Higgins’ mental health.

Ms Higgins’ settlement with the Commonwealth, which was agreed on the first day of consideration last December, was over her treatment in Parliament after she made her rape allegations.

Senator Reynolds office confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that a concerns notice had been sent. A full statement is expected later on Thursday.