Morrison’s office consulted about staffer dismissal after Brittany Higgins made rape allegation

Meeting revealed in Senate hearing as Labor seeks answers on 10-day gap between 2019 sexual assault allegation and Liberal staffer's sacking

Scott Morrison and then-special minister of state Alex Hawke were both represented at a meeting in April 2019 to discuss dismissing the Liberal staffer who Brittany Higgins has accused of sexual assault.

At the 4 April 2019 meeting, revealed at a Senate estimates hearing on Thursday, finance department officials provided advice on the process to terminate the staffer's employment before the then-defence minister, Linda Reynolds, sacked him the following day.