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 :(8) It appears in the background, efforts were being made to assist in also seeing a psychologist, because by 11:14am on 11 April, Mr Leembruggen checked in with Mr Dillaway "to see how [Ms Higgins was] doing and if you needed anything etc" (Ex R93), which was reported to Ms Higgins. I infer this prompted Ms Higgins to try to make a further psychologist's appointment at 1:53pm on that day, which was fixed within 24 hours (12:01pm on 12 April) but the appointment was for 18 April. As she explained to Mr Dillaway later that day, however, without mentioning it seems the appointment (or, it is worth noting, anything about being pressured to leave): "Also I'm off to Perth on Sunday. My TA staying in a mid-range place will clock up around $4,500 over the course of the election" (Ex R93).

716 It is unclear on the evidence as to whether the psychologist with whom Ms Higgins made the appointment on 18 April was the same person Mr Sharaz referred to in the first meeting with the Project team, when he asserted, without any detail (Ex 36 (at 0:06:00)):

I think it's worth mentioning, because I don't know if it's in this. The fact that you spoke to, the Liberal Party provided her a psychologist who encouraged her not to do anything about it.

717 Details were requested of a corroborating "email that you got from the psychologist" by Ms Wilkinson (Ex 36 (at 0:06:50)) which were never provided so far as I have been made aware (a topic to which I will return).

718 In any event, the above represents the true picture based on chorological records, not simply assertions, as to what happened about providing support services to Ms Higgins prior to her going to Western Australia approximately three weeks after the incident. It also explains the circumstances in which, with Ms Higgins' knowledge and then agreement, the PMO, at the level of Chief of Staff at least, was aware of the incident.

I.5The Move to Western Australia

719 What the contemporaneous materials and the evidence of Ms Brown reveal is that Ms Brown went to some lengths to arrange approval of a work base for Ms Higgins on the Gold Coast, where her family was located, in case she wanted to work from that location. Given the pendency of going into "caretaker mode" upon the calling of an election, Ms Brown was unsure whether an alternative work base could be approved during caretaker mode, or if it was best to obtain "in principle" approval to a proposed move. A discussion took place around 4 April with Ms Barons about appropriate steps and Ms Brown was informed a Lehrmann v Network Ten Pty Limited (Trial Judgment) [2024] FCA 369