A powerful victim’s advocate who stood by Brittany Higgins‘ side every day in court knew her boyfriend, David Sharaz, prior to the explosive rape allegations.
Heidi Yates, the ACT victims of crime commissioner, made the revelation on Thursday during a Board of Inquiry, which is looking into the way the investigation and jury trial into Bruce Lehrmann was handled by prosecutors and police.
Ms Higgins alleged Mr Lehrmann raped her in Parliament House in 2019. He has always maintained his innocence.
During his jury trial in the ACT Supreme Court in October, Ms Yates was a permanent fixture by Ms Higgins’ side – appearing heavily in news coverage of the case.
On Thursday, Ms Yates was questioned by the counsel assisting the inquiry, Erin Longbottom, about the way she became involved with Ms Higgins’ matter.
ACT Victims of Crime Commissioner Heidi Yates addressed the Board of Inquiry on Thursday morning
Ms Yates agreed with Ms Longbottom’s suggestion that she first heard about the rape allegations on January 30, 2021, after she spoke at a community event.
Another speaker approached her and said he knew of a woman who was going to make a sexual assault complaint that would ‘likely attract media attention’, and asked her for a message of support.
Ms Yates agreed, but said she did not meet with Ms Higgins until months later – in April 2021.
Ms Longbottom said: ‘By April, Ms Higgins had been public about her allegation of sexual assault and there was an interview broadcast on The Project of that year, and on April 26 you received an email from Ms Higgins’ partner [David Sharaz].’
Ms Yates replied ‘yes’.
Ms Longbottom continued: ‘You knew Mr Sharaz from his time as a local news journalist in Canberra?’
Ms Yates responded: ‘Vaguely, yes.’
The inquiry heard that Ms Higgins’ now-fiance, David Sharaz, knew Ms Yates ‘vaguely’ from his time as a Canberra journalist
The victims advocate then agreed that she spoke with Mr Sharaz on the phone, during which time he explained Ms Higgins was looking for support in relation to an upcoming meeting with then-Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
Ms Yates first met with Ms Higgins on April 27, three days prior to the meeting with Mr Morrison.
‘Ms Higgins sought information from you about systemic issues effecting sexual assault victims,’ Ms Longbottom asked.
Ms Yates recalled Ms Higgins was looking for advice about systemic issues regarding sexual assault complaints, rather than advice about her own alleged assault.
‘She spoke about the issue she wanted to talk a about, such as access and better pathways for victims to make a report, and timely therapeutic support … so we provided her with information about those matters,’ Ms Yates said.
Ms Yates then recalled she was invited to attend two meetings with Ms Higgins on April 30 – one with the Prime Minister, and another with former opposition leader Anthony Albanese and Tanya Plibersek.
The hearing continues.
