An independent inquiry into how the justice system handled rape allegations made by former Liberal Party staffer Brittany Higgins will hold its first public hearing.
The ACT government established the inquiry after accusations by police and prosecutors about each other’s conduct during the case against Higgins’ former colleague Bruce Lehrmann.
Former Queensland solicitor-general Walter Sofronoff was appointed head of the inquiry which will examine how territory police, prosecutors and a victim support service handled Higgins’ allegations.
ACT Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold and Lehrmann’s defence lawyer Steven Whybrow will be the first witnesses to give evidence to the inquiry, which begins on May 8….