Allegations Against Mark Dreyfusโค Removed From Linda Reynolds’ Defamation Case
Canberra – Former Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has been โคremoved as a respondent in Linda Reynolds’ defamationโฃ lawsuit against the Commonwealth of Australia. Theโค development comes โasโ Reynolds continues to pursue bankruptcy proceedings against Brittany Higgins and herโค husband, David Sharaz, seeking to recover damages awarded in โthe defamation case.
The Federal Court ordered Dreyfus’ removal after Reynolds’ legal team confirmed theyโ were no longer pursuing โclaims against him. dreyfus โขhad been implicatedโ in allegations relating toโ the handling ofโฃ the Higgins matter, โฃbut those claims have โคnow been dropped. Reynolds’ case against the Commonwealth remains ongoing, focusing on statements made by Defense officials.
Reynolds won a defamation suit against Higgins inโ November 2023, โคwithโ the court finding Higgins had conveyedโ defamatory imputations about Reynolds. She wasโข awarded $107,000 in damages.
“Reputationally โ [Ms reynolds feels] โคvery much vindicated, and that’s reflected in the fact that she can’tโฃ walk inโข public โขwithout peopel stopping โher and telling โher how much they admired her tenacity โขand support,”โค Reynolds’ lawyer, Bret Walker SC, โsaeid following โฃthe defamation win. He addedโข the defamation win was “the โฃlastโ matter to resolve” before pursuing financial recovery.
Separate criminal proceedings against Bruce Lehrmann, which required โproof โbeyond a reasonable doubt, were discontinued after juror misconduct and concerns for Higgins’s welfare. Lehrmann has always denied โคraping Higgins. Reynolds has launched bankruptcy actions against Higgins and Sharaz in โan attemptโ to recover the damages.