Explosive Court Documents Allege Reynolds Was “Sidelined and Railroaded” by the Commonwealth in the $2.4 Million Deal – A New Lawsuit Threatens to Expose Deep-Rooted Political Interference

 Linda Reynolds, the former Liberal senator and Defence Minister, has dropped a bombshell in a fresh legal salvo, making a shock claim that the Commonwealth government “sidelined and railroaded” her during the negotiation of Brittany Higgins’ $2.4 million settlement in 2022, a revelation that could upend everything we thought we knew about the handling of one of Australia’s most explosive political scandals. In an updated statement of claim filed in the Federal Court on Wednesday, Reynolds accuses the government and its lawyers, HWL Ebsworth, of breaching fiduciary duty by excluding her from the mediation process, failing to consult her on the terms, and effectively affirming Higgins’ “untested, unsubstantiated and untrue allegations” against her without a fight. The suit, seeking unspecified damages and legal costs, comes just weeks after Reynolds won her high-profile defamation case against Higgins in August, where a WA Supreme Court judge awarded her $315,000 plus interest and 80% of her costs – a victory that vindicated her but left the settlement’s shadow lingering.

The claim centers on the December 2022 payout to Higgins, who alleged Reynolds mishandled her 2019 rape complaint against Bruce Lehrmann in Parliament House. Reynolds contends the one-day mediation, from which she was barred, rushed to closure without her input or opportunity to defend herself, resulting in a deal that “sent a message to the nation” that her actions were “so true, so damning, so abhorrent” that the government paid up without contest. “I was excluded, denied counsel, and forced to accept a narrative I knew was false,” Reynolds stated in court documents, alleging negligence and misfeasance by Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, who signed off on the settlement despite a “hopelessly conflicted” role. Dreyfus, then opposition counterpart, had publicly criticized Reynolds’ handling in 2021, a point her lawyers argue tainted the process.

Reynolds’ attorney, Martin Bennett, told reporters outside court: “This is about vindication and restoring reputation – the Commonwealth bent over backwards for Ms Higgins, railroading Senator Reynolds without due process.” The suit names the Commonwealth and HWL Ebsworth, claiming the firm “failed to test allegations” and settled “without consent.” Higgins, who received the $2.445 million for “personal injury” including mishandling claims, has appealed the defamation loss and faces separate bankruptcy proceedings from Reynolds over unpaid costs estimated at $1 million.

The timing is explosive. Reynolds’ defamation win in August 2024 – where Justice Paul Tottle ruled Higgins’ 2023 Instagram posts defamatory – came after a five-week trial that exposed the saga’s fractures. Tottle found Lehrmann raped Higgins on the balance of probabilities but upheld Reynolds’ “honest opinion” defense on some claims. Higgins’ settlement, reached amid the Lehrmann trial’s mistrial, included no non-disparagement clause for Reynolds, allowing further public attacks.

Public reaction is polarized. #ReynoldsVindicated trended with 1.2 million posts, supporters praising her “fight for truth,” while #JusticeForBrittany countered with 850k, accusing “political revenge.” Dreyfus’ office called it “frivolous,” but the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) in June 2025 cleared the settlement of corruption, finding “no inappropriate intervention.”

As hearings loom in early 2026, Reynolds’ bombshell could reopen wounds. “This isn’t vindictive – it’s justice,” she said. In a saga of power, pain, and perseverance, one woman’s claim may rewrite the narrative – and the rules.