Senator Katy Gallagher has offered a full denial to the Senate that she misled parliament in 2021 when she said “no one” in her party had knowledge of Brittany Higgins’s allegation of rape inside parliament house.

The senator told a senate committee in 2021 “no one had any knowledge” of Ms Higgins’s rape allegation before it was made public.

Fronting the Senate this afternoon, Senator Gallagher said she had informed Senator Linda Reynolds at the time that she had been given a “heads up” about Ms Higgins’s allegation.

Senator Gallagher said her denial related to an implication that she was somehow involved in the story being made public.

Senator Gallagher said she had acted honestly and that parliament cannot “lose perspective” on what mattered.

“We want Parliament House to be [a workplace] that sets an example for other workplaces and that if staff experienced harassment or assault, that they feel supported and confident enough to come forward and report it,” Senator Gallagher said. 

“But the events of the past week with the media coverage, the questions surrounding the publication of a young woman’s personal phone records that had been provided for use in a court splashed across TV and newspaper — with opposition members giddy with the coverage — has done nothing but seriously damage this confidence.”

The senator has faced pressure from the opposition to explain her involvement after private conversations between Ms Higgins and her partner David Sharaz, leaked to The Australian, suggested the pair were in contact with her shortly before the allegation was aired.

That allegation was never proven — no findings were made against former staffer Bruce Lehrmann, whose trial was abandoned due to juror misconduct last year, and who has maintained his innocence.

Senator Gallagher said she was acting on a claim that appeared to have been treated by the Coalition as a political issue, rather than being met with compassion.

“I have at all times been guided by the bravery and courage of a young woman who chose to speak up and about an alleged incident in her workplace. I have always acted ethically and with basic human decency on all matters related to Ms Higgins. I will continue to do so,” Senator Gallagher told the Senate.

Earlier, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese offered a fierce defence of Senator Gallagher, telling the ABC it was “absurd” to suggest she had misled parliament.

“This is [a] concocted issue by what is a desperate Liberal opposition looking for any issue,” Mr Albanese said. 

“I mean, one would have thought that just weeks after we handed down a budget, they would be concentrating on the economy and on issues that affect average Australians.”

Tumultuous time revisited, as some call for calm

Senator Gallagher had already sought to explain on the weekend that she had been clear “two years ago” when the issue was raised at a committee, noting there were also unanswered questions for the former government.

Former prime minister Scott Morrison has also faced renewed questions over what he and his office knew, and what they did in response.

An inquiry into the former prime minister’s office and its response when Ms Higgins’s allegations were brought to them was never completed.

Speaking to the House of Representatives, Mr Morrison denied claims he misled the house when he said he had discussed the handling of Ms Higgins’s allegations with then-senior staffer Fiona Brown, who on Saturday told The Australian that did not happen.

“While I believe my response to be accurate at the time I cannot fully discount that her recollection of those events now were the more accurate,” Mr Morrison told the house.

“I reject any suggestion of deliberate intent in any such possible inaccuracy in my response.”

Liberal MP Bridget Archer last night said parliamentarians needed to stop politicising the matter.

“I don’t think we should seek to politicise these issues. They are very sensitive,” Ms Archer said. 

“I think it has been difficult, and continues to be difficult, for all of the people that are involved and I think we should be mindful of that going forward as well.”

Senator Larissa Waters said Senator Gallagher had made an “appropriate” statement, and politicians should now be mindful of their comments.

“I would like us all to bear in mind that survivors are watching and we need to make sure that they feel safe to come forward,” Senator Waters said.

Former sex discrimination commissioner Kate Jenkins, who led an inquiry into parliamentary workplace culture triggered in part by Ms Higgins, said these issues were difficult for parliament because they inherently become political.

“We heard people talk to us about how difficult it is, how issues can quickly turn to politics because obviously that’s a place for politics,” Ms Jenkins told ABC Radio National.