Gallagher has denied she had misled parliament in 2021 about her knowledge of the allegation made by Higgins before they were made public.

She said she did not seek to weaponise the allegations, and was responding to a claim she knew about the incident for weeks to use it for political gain.

As parliament resumes on Tuesday, coalition senators are set to use question time to target  Gallagher over her knowledge of the allegations.

Higgins alleges she was raped by former colleague Bruce Lehrmann in Parliament House in 2019, a claim which Lehrmann has always denied.

Responding to claims she knew about the incident for weeks and planned to use the information for political gain, Gallagher has said she did not seek to weaponise the allegations.

Questions over her conduct were raised after leaked text messages between Higgins and her partner David Sharaz emerged last week, suggesting the pair strategised with the then-opposition senator about how to break the story.

Albanese said his minister had been transparent and the suggestion Gallagher misled parliament was “absurd”.

“It’s a bizarre conspiracy theory that suggests that Labor is somehow at the centre of all of this,” he told ABC Radio on Tuesday.

Albanese said the two staffers’ former boss, Liberal senator Linda Reynolds, had confirmed Gallagher told her she was aware “in broad terms” about the allegations before they were publicly aired.

“So this has been known by Senator Reynolds since that time since 2021, and now, in 2023, somehow this is this concocted issue by what is a desperate Liberal opposition,” he said.

As parliament resumes on Tuesday, coalition senators are set to use Question Time to target Gallagher over her knowledge of the allegations.

The trial of Lehrmann was aborted over juror misconduct and prosecutors did not seek a retrial, citing concern for Higgins’ mental health.

The ACT is now holding an inquiry into the investigation and prosecution.

Senior Labor members have lined up to defend Gallagher in the wake of the political storm.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the suggestion Gallagher misled parliament was “absurd”.

“Katy Gallagher has more stores of personal integrity than all of her Liberal and National pursuers combined,” he said on Monday.

Chalmers said she draws on “deeper reserves of personal integrity” than anyone he had ever worked with.

“The idea that these allegations about something that happened in a Liberal minister’s office, in a Liberal government, is somehow the fault of the then Labor opposition is equally laughable,” he said.

Questions were raised of the finance minister after leaked text messages between Higgins and her partner David Sharaz emerged last week suggesting the pair contemplated strategising her story with Gallagher, when she was in opposition.

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said accusations Labor had weaponised the rape allegations for political gain could deter other women from coming forward.

“What really worries me … is if you are a young woman looking at the way this has unravelled … you would really think twice about making a complaint,” Plibersek said on Monday.

“I really do want to send a message to those people who have been sexually assaulted or who are thinking about making a complaint, there will always be people who will stand up for you for your right to get justice.”