Page:Lehrmann v Network Ten Pty Limited (Trial Judgment).pdf/188

(2) During the third meeting with Ms Brown on 28 March, Ms Higgins had said "I am taking up the counselling" (which Ms Brown took to be a reference the EAP service) and to which Ms Brown responded: "good, I am pleased to see you are accessing it' (Annexure B) and it must have been around this time that Ms Higgins experienced a delay in getting an appointment (Brown (at [85]–[86]).

(3) Later that day, Ms Higgins told Ms Brown she had made an appointment with a doctor for the following day (Annexure B) (Brown (at [91])) – she did not proceed with the appointment despite requesting and receiving the time off to attend because she was "terrified" (T782.35);

(4) As already noted, on 1 April, during the meeting with the Minister and Ms Brown, the Minister suggested counselling and talking to the EAP, which Ms Brown noted was an independent support process.

(5) After speaking to the AFP on 1 April, and Agent Thelning facilitating a "wraparound referral" which amounts to a "reach out to all different support services that a victim may require" and speaking to Ms Nikki Armstrong of the CRCC to discuss the matter and providing Ms Higgins with information as to the services available and contact details (T1407–8), Ms Higgins then spoke to Zara from the CRCC on 2 April, and had been promptly booked into an "intake appointment tomorrow 3rd April at 15:30 hours", which had been confirmed by the CRCC (Ex R90) – for reasons unclear on the evidence, she did not proceed with the appointment.

(6) On 3 April, Mr Dillaway spoke to his contact in the PMO, Mr Julian Leembruggen about "the need for councillor [sic] and desire to be closer to home during election" and in response to Mr Dillaway reporting that Mr Leembruggen had allegedly said "he was mortified to hear about it and how things has been handled", Ms Higgins reaction, as we have seen, was to correct that impression by saying "I wouldn't say it's been handled poorly, just a difficult situation to manage. Seriously, Fiona is great" (Ex R99 (at 814)).

(7) On 8 April, of course, as I have already explained, Ms Higgins attended a meet and greet with SACAT officers supported by the counsellor Ms Cripps from the CRCC (T1293.4–10), with whom she subsequently had many counselling sessions in person and by telephone.

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