Law Report Special: Linda Reynolds wins defamation battle against Brittany Higgins

Law Report Special: Linda Reynolds wins defamation battle against Brittany Higgins

Author: ABC Australia August 27, 2025 Duration: 18:00
Former Coalition Federal Minister Linda Reynolds has won her defamation case against former parliamentary staffer Brittany Higgins. It has been widely reported that both parties literally put their houses on the line to fund their legal campaigns and today, almost a year after the trial wrapped, Justice Paul Tottle of the WA Supreme Court ordered that Brittany Higgins pay Linda Reynolds $315,000 in damages and $26,000 in interest. The trial centred on three social media posts written by Brittany Higgins, four years after she alleges she was raped in parliament house by her then colleague Bruce Lehrmann.  The social media posts criticised her then boss Linda Reynolds. Defamation law expert Dr Jessica Lake joins host Damien Carrick to analyse why Higgins legal team defences of truth, fair comment and qualified privilege mostly failed and what this will mean for future defamation cases.  To hear more in-depth expert coverage of the important legal stories and cases of the week search for The Law Report podcast on the ABC Listen app or wherever you get your podcasts. Guest: Defamation Law expert Dr Jessica Lake from Melbourne University Law School

Produced by ABC Australia, Law Report digs into the legal frameworks and courtroom decisions that shape society. This isn't just a summary of headlines; it's a deep, thoughtful examination of how legislation and judicial rulings filter into everyday life, affecting everything from personal liberties to national policy. Each episode unpacks complex issues with clarity, moving beyond the sensational to explain the real human stakes behind high-profile cases and legislative changes. You'll hear directly from legal experts, journalists, and sometimes those personally entangled in the system, providing a grounded perspective on abstract principles. The podcast consistently demonstrates how the law is a living, evolving force, not just a set of static rules. Whether exploring a historic miscarriage of justice, the intricacies of a new bill in parliament, or a landmark international ruling, the conversation is always geared toward making the inaccessible understandable. For anyone curious about the mechanics of power, rights, and governance, this series offers essential context. Tune in for a reliably insightful analysis of how legal stories unfolding in Australia and around the world ultimately define the boundaries of our collective and individual lives.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Law Report
Podcast Episodes
Why was Ben Roberts-Smith granted bail on war crimes charges? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:07
Australia's most decorated living soldier Ben Roberts-Smith has been granted bail after being charged with five counts of the war crime of murder. Why was he granted bail? And why did the judge find there were exceptiona…
Euthanasia: How Australia's approach compares to other countries [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:05
In countries where voluntary assisted dying is allowed, there are very different legal frameworks. A high-profile case in Spain raises questions of whether the procedure should only be allowed if there is a terminal illn…
A cultural approach to reducing Indigenous reoffending [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:06
Indigenous incarceration rates are off the scale in Australia. For the last four years, the District Court of New South Wales has been trialling the Walama sentencing list, a program aimed at reducing recidivism.
How accurate is facial recognition software? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:56
The Law Report is asking some big picture questions about the pros and cons of facial recognition software use by police and retailers.
Claims chasers in natural disaster zones [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:02
The Law Report is shining a light on claims or disaster chasers who approach people whose homes have been damaged by a severe weather event.
Fifty years of 'no-fault' divorce in Australia [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:06
Two former family law judges sit down with Damien Carrick to revisit a time before no-fault divorce, when unhappy spouses often employed private detectives to prove adultery.