Higgins bristles as Lehrmann silk disputes her evidence

Mr Whybrow spent hours interrogating Ms Higgins about the credibility of the evidence she gave about the events of the evening. In particular, he zeroed in on whether she was wearing her white pencil dress when she says she woke up alone in Senator Reynolds’ office on March 23, 2019.

The court has heard a Parliament House security guard had seen Ms Higgins fully naked, asleep or passed out that night. Ms Higgins conceded she had been wrong in multiple interviews, including with The Project, when she said she woke up with the dress scrunched around her waist. “I had to accept that that was the truth,” she said.

“It’s a significant matter because it immediately follows your alleged sexual assault,” Mr Whybrow said.

“As I was being raped, it wasn’t my primary concern where my dress was,” Ms Higgins replied.

“But your evidence was that your dress was on when you were raped,” Mr Whybrow asked.

She replied: “I was deeply more concerned about the penis in my vagina that I didn’t want there. It wasn’t about my dress. I wasn’t concerned about my dress in that moment. But the next morning, when I woke up and vomited in a toilet, the first thing wasn’t ‘where is my dress? Is it on my body or is it on the ground’.”

Mr Whybrow: “Ms Higgins, I’m asserting that was a fabrication.”

Bruce Lehrmann arrives at a Federal Court in Sydney on Thursday. Louise Kennerley

Ms Higgins: “I understand that is your assertion. It is insulting but I understand it.”

Mr Whybrow asked Ms Higgins about a contract she signed for a book on March 25, 2021 – about five weeks after The Project aired. She received a $108,000 advance, he said, and was therefore financially tied to the allegations to receive the rest of the $325,000 deal.

“You have 216,000-odd reasons, in my submission, to not want to tell the truth, which is that it didn’t happen,” Mr Whybrow said. He asked again: “You have a financial interest in the outcome of the proceedings.”

Ms Higgins, her voice cracking, replied: “I declare it now, if I ever actually finish the book, I will donate all 200 and whatever of it to charity. I don’t care about the money. Take it on oath or whatever.”

Mr Whybrow later said: “Just so it’s clear, I’m submitting to you that you alter and evolve your evidence when you find out extra information.”

The hearing, before Justice Michael Lee, continues. The defence has more than 20 witnesses still to call.

Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).