House debates Questions without Notice

Members of Parliament: Staff

Monday, 22 February 2021 House of Representatives

Peta Murphy

Peta Murphy Dunkley, Australian Labor Party

2:53 pm

My question is to the Prime Minister. Eleven days after her reported rape in March 2019, Brittany Higgins received a text message from a government staffer which read:

Spoke to PMO. He was mortified to hear about it and how things have been handled. He's going to discuss with COS -- no one else. I flagged need for councillor …

Isn't it beyond belief that the Prime Minister's office didn't know until this year, when two years ago a member of the Prime Minister's office was mortified and discussed the need for a counsellor for Brittany Higgins?

Scott Morrison

Scott Morrison Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister

I thank the member for her question. I have advised the House about when I am advised my office first knew about these matters. That is the information that is available to me. I note the report that you make reference to, and that is a matter that is within the scope of the process that the secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet is looking at right now. That is in the scope of those processes, and I will await the secretary of the department to provide that report to me.