Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is again to the Minister for Defence, Senator Reynolds. The minister has today referred to a meeting in her office between the minister and, amongst others, Ms Higgins. Can the minister confirm that this was the only meeting that the minister was personally engaged in with Ms Higgins in relation to the alleged assault?

Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Wong for her question. Senator Wong, I'll have to take that question on notice and I'll explain why. I understand that this situation is still the subject of an open AFP inquiry, so I'll need to take advice in terms of how much detail is appropriate for me to comment on, and then I will get back to the chamber.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order on my left. Senate Wong, a supplementary question?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Earlier in question time today the minister explained the location of the meeting by indicating she was at that point unaware of the alleged assault. Can the minister explain how she claimed she was unaware of the alleged assault at the time of that meeting, given the meeting took place after Ms Higgins had reported the assault to the minister's chief of staff?

Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong, I will again take that question on notice because it goes to a very important matter, and that is that this is still the subject of an open AFP investigation—since April 2019. I can confirm the details of that first meeting. As I said, at that first meeting I was unaware of the circumstances of the alleged incident. I will seek some further legal advice, in terms of the detail of how much I can communicate publicly, and I will come back to the chamber as soon as I can on that.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong, a final supplementary question?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister explain how she now claims she was unaware of the assault at the time of the reported meeting, given her answer, also today, that she told Ms Higgins in that meeting that the minister would support her going to the police?

Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong, I did not, in fact, say that it was at that meeting about the police. What I did confirm was that throughout this I took all of the relevant advice from ministerial and parliamentary services. That information was communicated to my staff member and included my recommendation to her that she consider talking to the AFP and seeking advice from them, which again is something that I facilitated for her. In terms of any further detail on that, I will seek advice because it is the subject, I've been advised, of an ongoing AFP investigation into the matter, which was opened in April 2019, and it is my advice that that investigation is still open or at least ongoing, so I do need to make sure that I do not prejudice anything that she may have decided to do then and now.