The courtroom drama that’s been gripping Australia for years finally reached its climax. After months of waiting, Linda Reynolds wins defamation case against her former staffer in what’s become one of the country’s most talked-about legal battles.
It’s Wednesday morning in Perth, and Western Australian Supreme Court Justice Paul Tottle is about to deliver a decision that’ll send shockwaves through Australian politics. The case that started with angry social media posts has now ended with a massive payout.
The Big Win
Linda Reynolds wins defamation case with a whopping $341,000 total award – that’s $315,000 in damages plus $26,109 in interest. That’s a serious amount of money.
The former Liberal senator took her ex-staffer Brittany Higgins to court over three social media posts from 2022 and 2023. Reynolds claimed these posts trashed her reputation and painted her as the villain in a story that grabbed headlines across Australia.
Justice Tottle agreed with Reynolds on most counts. He found that three Instagram and Twitter posts were definitely defamatory.
What Made The Posts So Damaging?
Here’s where it gets interesting. Linda Reynolds wins defamation case because the judge found Higgins’ posts suggested some pretty serious stuff about her former boss.
The posts allegedly made people think Reynolds:
- Harassed her former staffer
- Completely messed up handling Higgins’ rape allegation
- Wanted to silence sexual assault victims
- Did dodgy things during Bruce Lehrmann’s criminal trial
Those are huge accusations to throw around on social media, especially when you’ve got thousands of followers hanging on every word.
The Social Media Posts That Started It All
Let’s break down what actually happened. Linda Reynolds wins defamation case over specific posts that really got really upset her.
First up was a tweet from January 27, 2022. This one suggested Reynolds pressured Higgins not to go to police with her sexual assault complaint. It also painted Reynolds as a hypocrite when it came to supporting women’s rights.
Then came the Instagram story from July 4, 2023. This was the big one – it implied Reynolds was on some kind of harassment campaign and handled the whole rape situation terribly.
There was also a July 20, 2023 tweet, but here’s the twist – while the judge found it was defamatory, he ruled Higgins had valid defenses for this one. So no payout for that post.
What Reynolds Had To Say
Standing outside court, Reynolds looked relieved. “It is a great relief that my reputation has been finally and fully vindicated,” she told reporters.
But she wasn’t entirely happy about the journey. “However, it is disappointing that it took 4½ years, multiple court actions and millions of dollars,” she added.
Linda Reynolds wins defamation case, but she made it clear this wasn’t about money. She said the legal fight was never about Higgins’ rape allegation or getting rich – it was about clearing her name from false accusations of a political cover-up.
Higgins’ Response
Brittany Higgins didn’t give evidence during the trial for medical reasons. But she did release a statement after Linda Reynolds wins defamation case became official news.
“I accept that Linda Reynolds’ feelings were hurt by these events and I am sorry for that. I wish her well for the future,” Higgins said.
She also thanked the Australian public for their support and said her family was looking forward to “healing and rebuilding our lives.”
The Conspiracy Claims That Failed
Here’s something interesting – Linda Reynolds wins defamation case, but not on all counts. She also claimed Higgins and her husband David Sharaz had conspired together to wreck her reputation.
Justice Tottle wasn’t buying that theory. He ruled there wasn’t enough evidence to prove the couple’s main purpose was to hurt Reynolds. That conspiracy claim got thrown out.
The Bigger Picture
This whole mess started back in 2019 when Higgins was allegedly raped by fellow staffer Bruce Lehrmann in Reynolds’ parliamentary office. Lehrmann has always denied the allegations, and his criminal trial fell apart due to jury problems.
Fast-forward to 2021, and Higgins went public with her story in interviews that rocked the Morrison government. That’s when everything started getting messy between her and Reynolds.
A Federal Court judge recently found that Lehrmann probably did rape Higgins, though he’s appealing that decision. But this defamation case wasn’t really about whether the rape happened – it was about what Higgins said about Reynolds afterward.
Linda Reynolds Wins Defamation Case: What It Means
The victory gives Reynolds some vindication after years of being painted as the bad guy in this saga. She’s consistently said she believed Higgins and tried to support her after the alleged rape.
The $341,000 payout shows courts won’t tolerate social media posts that cross the line into defamation, even when they’re about politically sensitive topics. Linda Reynolds wins defamation case and sets a precedent for other politicians dealing with online attacks.
What Happens Next?
Higgins could appeal the decision, though she hasn’t announced any plans to do so yet. There’s also the question of legal costs – both sides have spent huge amounts on lawyers during this lengthy battle.
The whole saga has been incredibly expensive and emotionally draining for everyone involved. Linda Reynolds wins defamation case, but at what cost to all parties?
For now, Reynolds can finally say she’s been vindicated in court. After 4½ years of legal battles and public scrutiny, that’s probably worth more than any dollar amount to the former senator.
