MEDIA RELEASE 18 November 2025
Shadow Attorney-General and Federal Member for Fisher, Andrew Wallace MP, says the latest revelations surrounding the handling of the Brittany Higgins settlement raise profound questions about transparency, integrity and political interference at the highest levels of the Albanese Government.
Reports in The Australian over the past week outline explosive new details about how the Commonwealth took control of former Senator Linda Reynolds’ legal position, struck a settlement after only a half day mediation, and approved a $2.4 million payout figure that taxpayers still have not been properly told the basis for. At the same time, the Prime Minister and senior Labor figures Senators Penny Wong and Katy Gallagher were aggressively prosecuting this saga in Parliament for political gain.
Mr Wallace said Australians deserve to know why the Government inserted itself into Senator Reynolds’ legal dispute, why limitation periods were extended, why a financial settlement was rushed and why taxpayers were left on the hook for a multimillion-dollar payout. This stinks to high heaven and Australians deserve answers.”
Mr Wallace said the public is now seeing what he describes as “fertile ground” that Labor cultivated by weaponising a serious allegation to damage political opponents.
“In the lead up to the 2022 election, the Prime Minister, Penny Wong and Katy Gallagher fed the flames of this saga because it suited their political interests. They hammered Linda Reynolds relentlessly in Question Time and in Senate hearings. Now that the truth is slowly coming to the surface, they are nowhere to be seen.”
He said the Prime Minister’s attempt yesterday to brush aside a clear, direct question from a journalist about whether his senior ministers owe an apology to Senator Reynolds only raises further concerns.
“Instead of accountability, yesterday the Prime Minister gave a vague and evasive response. Australians expect better. A responsible government would confront these issues openly, not hide behind word games.”
Mr Wallace added, transparency is not optional when taxpayer funds, ministerial conduct and the integrity of the legal system are at stake.
“Prime Minister Albanese must explain why his government intervened and why it agreed to extend the statute of limitations without recourse to Linda Reynolds. He must also answer why his government settled Ms Higgin’s claims and how his senior ministers were allowed to use Parliament to drive a false political narrative while the Government now fights to keep their names off court documents. The pattern is clear. This Government talks about integrity but walks the other way when the spotlight shines on them. The manner in which this Labor government settled its claim against Ms Higgins is in stark contrast to how it is dragging out Linda Reynold’s and her former Chief of Staff, Fiona Brown’s respective claims against the Commonwealth.”
Mr Wallace said he will continue pressing for answers in Parliament and through all available avenues.
“Australians expect a government that acts with honesty, fairness and transparency. They are getting anything but.”
[ENDS]
Media Contact: Brendan West – 0402 556 646 – Brendan.west@aph.gov.au
