Reynolds Vows to Fight On in Higgins Saga Despite Millions in Legal Costs
Despite racking up millions of dollars in legal debt and describing the experience as “hellishly expensive,” former Senator Linda Reynolds has vowed to continue pursuing legal battles related to the Brittany Higgins saga, asserting she is fighting for the truth and to clear her name. In a wide-ranging interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on Tuesday, Reynolds maintained that allegations she covered up the alleged rape were disproven in court, while emphasizing she never disputed the assault itself.
The complex legal saga began with allegations against Bruce Lehrmann, who was initially charged with the rape of Higgins. That criminal trial was ultimately abandoned due to juror misconduct, and a subsequent retrial did not proceed due to concerns for Higgins’ wellbeing. However, the Federal Court later found, on the balance of probabilities, that Lehrmann had indeed raped Higgins – a finding upheld in a dismissed appeal brought by Lehrmann against Network Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson.
Reynolds’ legal battles extend beyond defending her reputation against accusations of a cover-up. She successfully sued Higgins over social media posts she claimed were defamatory, winning damages of $315,000 plus $26,109 in interest from the Western Australia Supreme Court in August. Higgins was also ordered to pay the majority of Reynolds’ legal costs, estimated to exceed $1 million. In October, Reynolds initiated bankruptcy proceedings against Higgins in an attempt to recover these funds.
Addressing concerns about pursuing a rape victim through the courts, Reynolds stated she “never, ever disputed the rape allegation,” but stressed the importance of understanding the “history” of the case. “Seven years ago, there was one allegation of rape after two staff had entered my office unauthorised after hours,” she explained. “It was very clear to me and my chief of staff then that was a criminal matter that needed to be dealt with by the AFP. And they did. It was also very clear to me that that allegation required proper welfare support to Ms Higgins at the time. We sought the advice, all of the correct advice. We followed it….we did everything right.” Reynolds believes it has taken “almost five years” to have the truth acknowledged by the courts.
Reynolds is also engaged in a separate lawsuit against the Commonwealth government regarding Higgins’ $2.4 million settlement. She indicated this case would not be resolved with an apology.
“Justice is not cheap,” Reynolds asserted. “Because I was forced to take action to defend my reputation … we can’t undo all of the damage that’s been done over five years. But it has been hellishly expensive for me to seek justice through the civil courts.” She added, “I have no regrets in doing it, because it has flushed out a lot of the truth. And certainly the truth about the allegations that were fabricated.” Reynolds revealed the financial toll has been significant, stating, “We have two mortgages on our house. We’ve got millions of dollars of debt. I don’t regret it. If I lose everything, it will have been worth it.”
Reynolds also leveled criticism at members of both the Labor and Liberal parties, as well as the media, for their role in the scandal. She accused colleagues vying for her position as Defence Minister of contributing to the narrative, claimed Labor dismissed court findings, and accused journalist Lisa Wilkinson of exploiting Higgins through a “clearly curated, fabricated, political scandal” involving other reporters.
When asked about her continued pursuit of three separate court cases, Reynolds stated she felt compelled to “either fall over and just let these lies carry me away, or I stood up and fought for the truth and for justice for me and for everybody else who’s been so damaged by these lies and by the weaponisation of these lies.” She described the past five years as a period of complete destruction to her life, reputation, career, and health.
Regarding Lehrmann, Reynolds unequivocally condemned his actions, stating she had previously identified him as unsuitable for employment in her office and any ministerial office. “And his own behaviour, as I said, has demonstrated his character,” she added.
Addressing the question of sympathy for Higgins as a rape victim, Reynolds emphasized that she and her former chief of staff, Fiona Brown, were found to have acted appropriately in two separate judgments. “So of course I had great sympathy…[but] that first day these allegations [that there had been a cover-up] came out – I was absolutely mortified about what [Higgins] had said, because it did not accord with my recollection. So my initial reactions were – how could I have missed this? How could Fiona have missed this? But I knew her allegations were not true, but she appeared to believe them. And I felt bad.”
The case was amended on December 10, 2025, to remove a claim against Mark Dreyfus regarding “misfeasance of public office,” which Reynolds dropped in a revised statement of claim submitted in November. Despite the immense personal and financial cost, Reynolds remains resolute in her pursuit of what she believes is the truth and justice for herself and others impacted by the saga.
