Minister suffered breakdown, ‘left in a mess’ by Higgins accusations
Linda Reynolds was a “mess” requiring around-the-clock care after a breakdown during the firestorm sparked by Brittany Higgins’ cover-up accusations, a defamation trial has been told.
Liberal senator Linda Reynolds talks to the media outside the David Malcolm Justice Centre in Perth, Tuesday, March 5, 2024. Brittany Higgins and her partner David Sharaz held a day of mediation talks with Liberal senator Linda Reynolds as part of an ongoing defamation matter. (AAP Image/Richard Wainwright) NO ARCHIVING
The former defence minister is suing her former staffer Ms Higgins over a series of social media posts containing alleged mistruths she believes damaged her reputation.
Denita Wawn told the Perth court it was “devastating” to see her friend of more than 20 years so physically and mentally unwell after her breakdown at parliament house in 2021, which triggered severe cardiac symptoms.
“She was a mess … Physically, she was shaking, she was pale, she looked weak. Mentally, she was in a high state of distress,” she told the WA Supreme Court on Thursday.
Ms Wawn said she was “incredibly concerned” about the senator.
“That her heart condition would result in her potentially dying and the stress that she was putting herself under was exacerbating that condition,” she said.
“I spent considerable time in her home with her, looking after her … There were a number of us that took turns to be with her.”
Ms Wawn said the senator remained in a high state of anxiety and stress in 2022.
“She wasn’t resilient … trying to show that she was coping but in fact she wasn’t and she would break down when she was with either myself or with the group of friends,” she said.
The court heard that after the Labor Party was elected to office in 2022, the senator was in an unusually high state of distress while holidaying with friends in northern NSW.
“She broke down on our last night … she was very upset that she had not been made a shadow minister, not even a junior minister, which in effect had stopped her ministerial career in the future,” Ms Wawn said.
Ms Wawn said she repeatedly “implored” the senator to retire from politics in the years after Ms Higgins accused her of mishandling her alleged rape in 2019.
Senator Reynolds announced in February she would not seek re-election.
“She is not in a position to put that level of strain on her body that continues today,” she said.
“Her confidence is superficial and she still shows a lack of significant lack of confidence in private.”
She agreed the senator had suffered from a heart condition prior to Ms Higgins’ 2021 allegations and was on medication for a period of time for depression and anxiety.
Ms Wawn recalled watching Network Ten’s The Project when Ms Higgins was interviewed.
“My reaction was of shock and horror and empathy, first and foremost for Ms Higgins,” she said.
“(And) for Linda that there had been accusations that she had not undertaken her duty as an employer.”
The trial continues with Senator Reynolds’ brother Andrew and Dean Carlson, who replaced Fiona Brown as her chief of staff, expected to give evidence later on Thursday.
