New explosive details revealed in Higgins case
The Australian Federal Police have revealed that Peter Dutton’s office was alerted to an alleged sexual assault in Parliament House in October, 2019, a date years earlier than previously disclosed.
The new date provided by the AFP is years before that date Mr Dutton maintains he personally learned of the alleged sexual assault of Brittany Higgins in February, 2021.
After an anonymous whistleblower contacted a media organisation claiming to have details of a sexual assault at Parliament House led to a media query to the AFP and the eventual 2019 tip-off.
Then Home Affairs Minister Mr Dutton disclosed earlier this year that he was personally notified by AFP commissioner Reece Kershaw about the allegation that a Liberal staffer was raped in Parliament House on February 11, 2021, which was under “sensitive investigation” disclosure guidelines because she contacted police six days prior.
“I was advised on 11 February, and I received updates last week and this week,” he told parliament.
When asked to provide details of when the AFP first contacted the office of the former Minister for Home Affairs or Mr Dutton himself about an incident in Senator Linda Reynolds’ office on March 23, 2019, a new timeline was provided.
“In accordance with routine practices, in October 2019 AFP Media notified the then Minister’s office in relation to a media enquiry received by ACT Policing, about an alleged sexual assault at Parliament House,” the AFP said in its response.
The discussions aimed to “inform the Minister’s office that a media inquiry had been received and that ACT Policing was responding.”
The AFP Media team said it contacted officers in the ministerial office but did not contact Mr Dutton directly.
“The first recorded contact with the then Minister for Home Affairs was 11 February, 2021,” the AFP said.
“The AFP Commissioner had a discussion with the then Minister about the matter. In accordance with routine practices, AFP Media has informed the Minister’s office about media inquiries received in relation to this matter during 2021.”
When Ms Higgins contacted the AFP after quitting her job in February to indicate she was considering reopening the investigation, she didn’t know the AFP was duty bound to inform the Home Affairs Minister under new guidelines.
Mr Dutton was informed of the rape allegation on February 11, the same day the AFP held a Sensitive Investigations Board meeting, chaired by AFP deputy commissioner Ian McArtney.
Mr Dutton did not alert the Prime Minister’s office at the time, arguing it involved a sensitive matter.
Though Mr Dutton and Employment Minister Michaelia Cash were informed of the allegation on February 11 and 5 respectively, and Defence Minister Linda Reynolds knew in March 2019, they didn’t inform the Prime Minister or his office.