Defence Minister Linda Reynolds checks into hospital as Brittany Higgins prepares to make police statement

Defence Minister Linda Reynolds has been hospitalised ahead of her address at the National Press Club today. It comes as her former staff member Brittany Higgins is due to speak with federal police about her alleged rape in Senator Reynolds office in 2019. A statement from Senator Reynolds’ office said she had taken advice from her cardiologist who told her to take a period of medical leave. “This follows advice from her cardiologist relating to a pre-existing medical condition,” the statement read. “As a precautionary measure, Minister Reynolds has this morning been admitted to a Canberra Hospital.” Canberra Hospital has confirmed there is no one admitted under the name Linda Reynolds. The private hospital attached also has no one by that name. Brittany Higgins, who has spoken openly about the alleged assault, wished Minister Reynolds well on Twitter this morning. “I genuinely hope @lindareynoldswa is okay and wish her all the best with her recovery,” Ms Higgins wrote. “Let’s just hope that from this whole horrible situation there will actually be some fundamental reform to the MOP(S) Act for vulnerable staff and improvements to the workplace culture in Parliament House.” Prime Minister Scott Morrison also phoned Minister Reynolds to express his concern and sympathy, and to wish her a quick recovery. Minister for Foreign Affairs, Marise Payne, will be acting Minister for Defence until Minister Reynolds returns from leave. Brittany Higgins, who worked as a media adviser to Senator Reynolds, claims she was raped by another Liberal staffer on the evening of Saturday March 23, 2019 just weeks before the Federal election. Ms Higgins says after the incident was reported to Senator Reynolds, she was taken into the same office where she was allegedly raped to discuss the assault. Senator Reynolds did not have a conversation with Ms Higgins for six days after the incident. She did not tell the Prime Minister about the alleged assault and Mr Morrison says he only found out when stories broke of Ms Higgins going public with her assault last week. Senator Reynolds last week admitted the meeting should not have taken place in the office where the alleged rape occurred. “At the time of the initial meeting with my staff member, I was not aware of the details, or the circumstances of the alleged incident in my office,” Ms Reynolds said. “Had I known, I would have conducted the meeting elsewhere.” The WA Senator said she and her staff worked to ensure her former staff member felt “empowered” to report the incident to the police.