Brittany Higgins shows off new digs after taxpayer-funded payout

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• By Avi Yemini

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Brittany Higgins has taken to Instagram to show off the new Gold Coast home she has moved into after receiving a taxpayer-funded payout stemming from claims she was raped in Parliament House.

The social media post – which also featured a selfie as well as images of the nearby beach – was captioned “home sweet home”.

The former Liberal staffer’s mother Kelly Higgins, a real estate agent, replied online: “It's exactly what you deserve my angel.”

“A beautiful home in a beautiful location. Lots of happy memories to be shared and made. Miss you already xx.”

Meanwhile, her fiancé David Sharaz, who reportedly left a job with Southern Cross Austereo in mid-February, posted a photo of the beach near their home with the caption: “No, I don't miss the 9-5.”

Higgins was awarded a settlement for an undisclosed amount in December after she had tried to sue the Commonwealth for damages for sexual harassment, discrimination and negligence.

She insists the payout was “far less” than the reported $3m.

The case against the Commonwealth came after the month-long trial in the ACT Supreme Court against her alleged rapist Bruce Lehrmann was abandoned last year.

Higgins had alleged Lehrmann raped her in Parliament House after a night out with colleagues in March 2019. Lehrmann pleaded not guilty and has continually denied the allegations.

The rape trial was aborted when it was found that a jury member was privately researching sexual assault.

Then, in December, the ACT Director of Public Prosecutions dropped the case completely, citing concerns for Ms Higgins' mental health.

Meanwhile, Lehrmann has launched a defamation case against Channel 10, Lisa Wilkinson and news.com.au in the Federal Court for publishing stories about Higgins' allegations in February 2021.

He claims that his family and former colleagues were able to identify him as the alleged rapist.

Mr Lehrmann will be cross-examined in court for the first time later in March.

Ms Higgins told her Twitter followers that she would be willing to give evidence at the defamation hearing.