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Former prime minister Scott Morrison feared Senator Linda Reynolds could die amid media reports of Brittany Higgins' accusations about a political cover-up of her alleged rape, a defamation trial has been told.
Senator Reynolds is suing Higgins for defamation over a series of social media posts containing alleged mistruths that she believes damaged her reputation.
Morrison told the Perth court on Tuesday his staff told him about Higgins' alleged rape in 2019 after the former staffer's allegations about Senator Reynolds' mishandling of the incident became public.
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"I undertook a series of briefings … through my staff … and sought to bring myself up to date as I prepared to face questions in the parliament," he told the Western Australian Supreme Court.
Morrison described the political firestorm that followed as "aggressive" and "co-ordinated", agreeing Senator Reynolds was "attacked".
"It was intending to discredit her," he said.
"It was the weaponising of this issue for political purposes to discredit both Senator Reynolds … and the government, and by extension myself."
Asked about what was alleged during the attack, Morrison said: "(That) the government was involved in the cover-up of this issue, which was completely and utterly false, without any foundation."
The former Liberal leader recalled the effect on Senator Reynolds, who he described as a friend for over 20 years, saying she was suffering significant anguish.
"I went and saw Linda immediately after question time … she was sitting in the Whip's office in a very distressed state.
"I provided her comfort as a friend but also as her prime minister and leader, and expressed my strong support for her."
Morrison said the senator was experiencing physical and mental symptoms, and that it was distressing to witness.
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"She was quite visibly, physically stressed and in a highly fragile emotional state at that point," he said.
"I was unaware of her cardiac condition. This was brought to my attention with her permission sometime later and that only deepened my concern.
"I remember for a period there we were very fearful for Senator Reynolds this could be a fatal outcome for her."
Morrison's evidence follows an appearance by Senator Reynolds' partner Robert Reid on Monday.
Reid told the trial the "whole saga has had an immeasurable impact on Linda, on myself".
"It has affected every part of our life," he said.
"I hope that one day we can get that relationship back."
Reid said the senator and his love was based on travel, politics, humour, family and spending time at the senator's Bali home.
That all changed in 2021 when Higgins went public with accusations about the senator covering up her alleged rape in 2019.
It led to Senator Reynolds having a public breakdown and being diagnosed with serious cardiac issues, the trial has been told.
"It has changed our lives utterly," he said.
He said the senator's medical issues had impacted her ability to travel.
"Linda now will have to take blood pressure monitors … the medication she has to take," he said.
Reid also said Higgins' allegations and the political firestorm that followed also impacted the senator's social life."
Higgins alleged that colleague Bruce Lehrmann raped her in Senator Reynolds' office.
Lehrmann has always denied the allegation and his criminal trial was derailed by juror misconduct.
