CAMERON MILNER: Why the weaponisation of Brittany Higgins’ rape allegation is Albanese’s Watergate moment

Anthony Albanese has a problem with the truth.

A problem with his “mean girls” and the $2.4 million payout to former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins, whose allegation of rape by a co-worker and that allegation’s weaponisation helped make him Prime Minister.

The whole sordid saga is playing out in a political rear view mirror.

The only problem is 19 million voters were witnesses to the grubby drive-by of Ms Higgins’ former employer Linda Reynolds, perpetrated Albanese’s praetorian guard of Katy Gallagher and Penny Wong.

This is the Albanistas’ Watergate moment — it’s not the crime that kills you, it’s the cover-up claim.

Gallagher and Wong weaponised Higgins’ rape for raw politics.

They were using it for themselves, and for Albanese, who needed all the help he could get with his small target ambitions for a better Australia back in 2021.

Failing to get a sizeable polling lead, especially among women voters, the decision was to use the alleged rape to dirty-up Scott Morrison in one of the grubbiest political attacks in living memory.

The Albanistas were desperate to win at all costs.

Multiple times in 2021, Wong and Gallagher made references to a co-ordinated “cover-up” by the then-government of Ms Higgins claims.

Two courts have now found there was no such conspiracy. Surely Gallagher and Wong now owe Reynolds an apology?

But fast-forward to Wednesday when Albanese was asked that question at a press conference. He responded with his typical hubris, flatly refusing to answer the simplest of questions.

Albanese’s answer was full of bravado and BS.

Albo was the defender of the indefensible.

In a single day, his Government paid Ms Higgins a cool $2.4 million in compensation, in part for “hurt, distress and humiliation” suffered.

Except it wasn’t his money, it was taxpayers’. This deserves a proper independent and open inquiry.

If Albanese, Wong and Gallagher have nothing to hide, they should have nothing to fear.

They should have no problem agreeing to an independent inquiry into their decisions.

Only a truly independent and open inquiry can get to the bottom of this mess.

Gallagher and Wong are now super well-paid Cabinet ministers — reward for their undying loyalty.

Albanese is now running a stonewalling protection racket for Wong and Gallagher.

The voting public is smarter than the Albanistas give them credit for. They will want the cleansing sunlight to shine into the darkest crevices of Wong and Gallagher’s alleged involvement of this Australian Watergate.

There have been no winners from this, least of all Brittany Higgins, who deserved justice and not a failed trial.

Wong, Gallagher and Albo clearly think they can tough this one out, cross their arms and hope the questions stop.

But this story keeps coming back to haunt them.

The Liberals and the Greens should use their numbers in the Senate to force an inquiry.

The weaponisation of an alleged rape can’t stand as a legitimate political tactic for winning government.

The payment of $2.4m from the winning team can’t go unscrutinised.

The beneficiaries of this grubby politics all hold high office, not least the PM who mouths the words about transparency and doing politics better.

It’s high time to clear the air, out the truth and have a proper inquiry.