Claims of a rape inside the Parliament House office of a federal government minister "rocked the entire political landscape", jurors were told when the allegation reached a criminal trial.
These were the key moments that led to the declaration of a mistrial in the case of former Liberal Party staffer Bruce Lehrmann, who denies raping Brittany Higgins.
The pair were colleagues, employed at the time by Liberal senator Linda Reynolds.
Brittany Higgins speaks to media outside court on Thursday. Picture by Karleen Minney
March 2019
Senator Linda Reynolds, who previously employed Bruce Lehrmann and Brittany Higgins, outside court. Picture by Sitthixay Ditthavong
- March 2: Ms Higgins joins the office of Senator Reynolds when the latter becomes defence industry minister and inherits some staff from predecessor Steven Ciobo.
- March 23: Lehrmann and Ms Higgins attend Parliament House in the early hours, heading to the ministerial suite of Senator Reynolds after what was described as "a drunken night out".
- March 26: Senator Reynolds' chief of staff, Fiona Brown, questions Lehrmann and Ms Higgins about the "security breach". She tells Ms Higgins a security guard saw her naked on a couch in the minister's office during the middle of the night.
April 2019
Brittany Higgins, who first met with police in April 2019. Picture by Karleen Minney
- April 1: Ms Higgins meets with Ms Brown and Senator Reynolds before speaking to federal agents at Parliament House. She tells the agents Lehrmann raped her in the office.
- April 5: Senator Reynolds sacks Lehrmann for "serious misconduct", taking into account a previous security breach that involved the mishandling of a classified document.
- April 8: Ms Higgins meets with ACT Policing sexual assault and child abuse team detectives.
- April 13: Ms Higgins emails a detective, stating she did not wish to make a formal complaint. "It's just not the right decision for me personally, especially in light of my current workplace demands," she writes.
May 2019
Brittany Higgins, centre, who worked on Senator Linda Reynolds' successful 2019 election campaign. Picture by Karleen Minney
- May 18: Senator Reynolds and the Coalition government are re-elected.
- May 19: Having spent about a month working on Senator Reynolds' election campaign in Perth, Ms Higgins returns to Canberra.
June 2019
Senator Michaelia Cash, who employed Brittany Higgins in June 2019. Picture by Elesa Kurtz
- June 8: Ms Higgins goes to work for Senator Michaelia Cash as an assistant media adviser, turning down offers of employment from then-cabinet ministers Mathias Cormann and Stuart Robert.
October 2019
Brittany Higgins, who was an assistant media adviser while a political staffer. Picture by Karleen Minney
- The Canberra Times asks questions about a March 2019 incident that occurred in Senator Reynolds' office. Senator Cash, her chief of staff and Ms Higgins are told of the enquiry.
January 2021
Lisa Wilkinson, one of the journalists behind the initial stories about Brittany Higgins. Picture by Sylvia Liber
- January 2: Ms Higgins meets with journalist Samantha Maiden.
- January 27: Ms Higgins has an initial meeting with another journalist, Lisa Wilkinson.
- January 29: Ms Higgins quits the office of Senator Cash. In her resignation letter, she cites "ongoing matters pertaining to [her] role in the former minister for defence industry's office".
February 2021
Former prime minister Scott Morrison, who ordered an inquiry relating to Ms Higgins' allegations. Picture by Sitthixay Ditthavong
- February 2: Ms Wilkinson interviews Ms Higgins for a television story to air on The Project.
- February 4: Ms Higgins emails police, saying her "work situation has changed" and she is "looking at pressing forward with a formal statement".
- February 5: Senator Cash phones Ms Higgins about her resignation. Ms Higgins covertly records the call.
- February 6: Police conduct a "meet and greet" with Ms Higgins, who declines to do a formal interview with investigators that day.
- February 15: Stories about the alleged rape are published by news.com.au and The Project, both of which quote Ms Higgins.
- February 17: Then-prime minister Scott Morrison asks the secretary of his department, Phillip Gaetjens, to conduct an inquiry into who in his office knew about the alleged rape, and when they became aware.
- February 24: Ms Higgins records a formal evidence in chief interview with police on the Gold Coast.
March 2021
Brittany Higgins at the March 4 Justice outside Parliament House in March 2021. Picture by Karleen Minney
- March 3: It is revealed that Senator Reynolds called Ms Higgins "a lying cow" in front of her staff after the rape allegations were made public.
- March 4: Ms Higgins demands Senator Reynolds apologise for the "distasteful character assassination".
- March 5: Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins begins a review of workplace culture at Parliament House, triggered by Ms Higgins' claims.
- March 12: Senator Reynolds retracts her "lying cow" comment, apologises to Ms Higgins and settles a defamation claim.
- March 15: Thousands of people rally across Australia to protest against sexism and violence against women at events referred to as the March 4 Justice. Ms Higgins addresses the rally outside Parliament House.
- March 16: Ms Higgins is informed by Ms Wilkinson's husband, journalist Peter FitzSimons, that a publisher has offered her a $325,000 deal to write a book.
April 2021
Bruce Lehrmann, who told police his world had been "rocked" by the rape allegations. Picture by Karleen Minney
- April 19: Police interview Lehrmann in Sydney. He tells investigators the alleged rape "simply didn't happen", and that his "world has been rocked" by the claims.
- April 30: Ms Higgins meets with Mr Morrison and has what she describes as a "robust" discussion.
May 2021
Brittany Higgins, who completed two interviews with investigators. Picture by Karleen Minney
- May 26: Ms Higgins takes part in a second interview with investigators, this time at Belconnen Police Station. She gives detectives her phone, the contents of which are copied.
June 2021
Prosecutor Shane Drumgold SC, right, outside court with junior counsel Skye Jerome. Picture by Karleen Minney
- June 21: Police provide ACT Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold SC with a partial brief of evidence, requesting his advice on potentially charging Lehrmann.
July 2021
Shane Drumgold SC, who was consulted by investigating police about whether to charge Bruce Lehrmann. Picture by Karleen Minney
- July 8: Mr Drumgold reveals he wrote back to police with his advice a week after receiving the request. He declines to reveal what he said, citing legal professional privilege.
August 2021
Bruce Lehrmann, who was charged in August 2021. Picture by Karleen Minney
- August 6: Lehrmann is issued a summons to face the ACT Magistrates Court, charged with a single count of sexual intercourse without consent. His then-barrister, John Korn, reveals Lehrmann denies any sexual activity with Ms Higgins.
- August 30: The Gaetjens inquiry is suspended until the end of Lehrmann's court case, following a warning from Mr Drumgold about its potential impact on criminal proceedings.
September 2021
The entrance to the ACT Magistrates Court, where Bruce Lehrmann's case began. Picture by Keegan Carroll
- September 16: Lehrmann's case comes before the court for the first time. He is not required to appear and his then-solicitor, Warwick Korn, enters a not guilty plea on his behalf.
November 2021
Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins, who conducted a review of workplace culture at Parliament House. Picture by Sitthixay Ditthavong
- November 5: Lehrmann is committed to the ACT Supreme Court for trial.
- November 18: Lehrmann's trial is listed to commence on June 6, 2022.
- November 30: The Jenkins review makes 28 recommendations, finding one in three workers at Parliament House had experienced sexual harassment.
February 2022
Then-prime minister Scott Morrison apologises, in parliament, to Brittany Higgins. Picture by Karleen Minney
- February 8: Mr Morrison addresses parliament, apologising to Ms Higgins for "the terrible things that took place here".
- February 9: Ms Higgins speaks at the National Press Club of Australia, alongside 2021 Australian of the Year Grace Tame.
- February 28: Lehrmann's lawyers flag an application for a stay of the charge against him.
April 2022
Chief Justice Lucy McCallum, who presided over Bruce Lehrmann's case. Picture by James Croucher
- April 1: Chief Justice Lucy McCallum hears Lehrmann's application for a permanent or temporary stay.
- April 27: It is revealed Ms Higgins has filed a formal complaint with the Australian Federal Police about the unlawful disclosure of protected information to Lehrmann's lawyers.
- April 29: Chief Justice McCallum dismisses the stay application after rejecting claims "damaging publicity" surrounding the case had rendered a fair trial "impossible".
May 2022
Bruce Lehrmann, who has always denied raping Brittany Higgins. Picture by Keegan Carroll
- May 31: Six days before the scheduled start of Lehrmann's trial, it is revealed his lawyers have had to drop out of the case for what are described as "reasons beyond anyone's control".
June 2022
Barrister Steven Whybrow, who represented Bruce Lehrmann. Picture by Karleen Minney
- June 2: Solicitor Kamy Saeedi confirms he has been instructed to act for Lehrmann, and Chief Justice McCallum postpones the start of the trial.
- June 8: Chief Justice McCallum sets a new start date of June 27 at the request of Lehrmann's new barrister, Steven Whybrow.
- June 15: After a conference about the evidence Ms Wilkinson may give if called as a witness at trial, Mr Drumgold warns her about the dangers of creating publicity outside the court process.
- June 19: Ms Wilkinson wins a Silver Logie award for her coverage of Ms Higgins' allegations.
- June 20: Mr Whybrow applies for a temporary stay of the looming trial as a result of a speech given by Ms Wilkinson at the awards, and damaging publicity associated with it.
- June 21: Chief Justice McCallum grants a temporary stay, finding Ms Wilkinson's speech had the power to "obliterate" the distinction between an allegation and proof of guilt. "The public at large has been given to believe that guilt is established," the judge says.
- June 23: Chief Justice McCallum sets a new start date of October 4.
October 2022
- October 4: Lehrmann's trial begins.
- October 5: Ms Higgins is called as the first witness.
- October 10: The jury is told Ms Higgins has become "unavailable" to continue giving evidence. Other witnesses are called in her absence, and a temporary non-publication order is imposed.
- October 14: Ms Higgins returns and completes cross-examination. The non-publication order over the other witnesses' evidence is lifted.
- October 15: Senators Cash and Reynolds give evidence, with the latter denying accusations she tried to "coach" Mr Whybrow's cross-examination of Ms Higgins by texting him "tips".
- October 19: Closing arguments conclude and the jury retires to deliberate.
- October 26: Chief Justice McCallum lifts a non-publication order over her reasons for refusing Lehrmann's stay application in April, revealing the accused's lawyers argued Mr Morrison's "egregious" apology in parliament was a key part of the bid to stop the case reaching trial.
- October 27: A mistrial is declared after a sheriff's officer inadvertently discovers a juror has brought an academic paper into the jury room, despite having been repeatedly warned not to undertake their own research.
BF
Blake Foden
Canberra Times court reporter
As a journalist, I've covered everything from a royal tour and a terror attack to international sport. After stints in New Zealand, the UK and the Canary Islands, I returned to Australia in 2018. These days, I cover the ACT and Queanbeyan courts.
As a journalist, I've covered everything from a royal tour and a terror attack to international sport. After stints in New Zealand, the UK and the Canary Islands, I returned to Australia in 2018. These days, I cover the ACT and Queanbeyan courts.
More from Court and Crime
More from Court and Crime
