Bankrupt former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins has reportedly flown to the United States alongside her husband David Sharaz and their infant son, Freddie. The journey has ignited widespread speculation that the trip may have been financed by former Fox News presenter and prominent #MeToo advocate Gretchen Carlson.
Bankruptcy Proceedings and Travel Restrictions
Higgins and Sharaz were declared bankrupt following Federal Court proceedings last year, after former senator Linda Reynolds successfully argued that the couple had defamed her through a series of social media posts. The court ordered Higgins to pay approximately $340,000 in damages and interest to Reynolds, plus eighty per cent of her legal costs, estimated to exceed one million dollars. Sharaz was separately liable for around $750,000 in legal costs.
Despite receiving a substantial $2.4 million settlement from the Federal government in a 2022 civil case, the court heard that Higgins' assets had dwindled to roughly $10,000 by the time bankruptcy proceedings commenced. Under Australian bankruptcy rules, individuals face significant limitations, including caps on earnings, restrictions on owning vehicles valued above $9,600, and stringent controls on international travel.
Permission Granted for US Journey
Bankrupt individuals are permitted to travel abroad, but they must surrender their passports to the appointed trustee and seek explicit permission for each trip. It is understood that Higgins and Sharaz were granted approval from their trustees to travel to the United States. With at least one of them reportedly out of work, it is considered highly unlikely that the couple could fund the journey independently.
Rumours have subsequently emerged suggesting that the excursion was bankrolled by former television anchor Gretchen Carlson, potentially in connection with planned speaking engagements. Carlson famously went public with sexual harassment allegations against former Fox News Chairman and CEO Roger Ailes in 2016, securing a $20 million settlement from the network. Her story was later depicted in the 2019 film Bombshell, starring Nicole Kidman.
Social Media Posts and Family Life
Details regarding the exact nature of the trip and any associated speaking events remain unclear. However, Sharaz uploaded a photograph to Instagram on Tuesday, showing Higgins and their eleven-month-old son Freddie onboard a Qantas flight. In the image, Freddie appears to be smiling and reaching over his mother towards the passenger seated behind them. Sharaz captioned the post humorously, writing: 'He's just...so introverted.'
The couple relocated from France to Melbourne last year. In December, shortly after the bankruptcy proceedings, Higgins shared another Instagram post featuring her husband and son in Byron Bay. She expressed gratitude to her father for covering the cost of the flights, stating: 'Big thank you to dad for shouting us the flights for my b'day and making it happen.'
Career Moves and Legal Background
Higgins is represented by the management agency 22, which also handles notable figures such as David Koch and Sophie Monk. It was previously revealed that she left her position as Director of Public Affairs at PR firm Third Hemisphere after just five months. Her appointment had been announced in a detailed interview with the Australian Financial Review in June, during which she questioned: 'How long do I have to be the story for?' The article notably omitted any reference to the lengthy court cases concerning her rape by former colleague Bruce Lehrmann in Parliament House in 2019.
Lehrmann was later found, on the civil balance of probabilities, to have raped Higgins—a finding upheld by an appeals court in December. Higgins' own LinkedIn profile indicates she departed Third Hemisphere in October, though the reasons remain unspecified. This exit occurred merely two months after she and Sharaz were forced into bankruptcy.
Sharaz joined the same PR agency in March and is still listed on its website as a director, yet the status of his tenure remains uncertain.
Financial Implications and Settlement Aftermath
Under Australian bankruptcy regulations, if Higgins and Sharaz each earn more than $87,000 in a single financial year, they would be required to make contributions towards Reynolds' claims. Should Sharaz be supporting two dependents—Higgins and Freddie—this threshold increases to $94,062.42 before any payments are due.
Justice Paul Tottle ruled that Higgins' social media posts wrongly implied Reynolds had engaged in a campaign of harassment, mishandled the rape allegation, and exhibited questionable conduct during Lehrmann's criminal trial in 2022. In addition to damages and Reynolds' legal fees, Higgins faced her own legal costs, estimated at around $600,000.
This financial burden emerged almost three years after she secured a $2.45 million settlement from the Commonwealth, following a civil case launched over the handling of her rape complaint. At the time, her draft statement of claim indicated she had been 'diagnosed as medically unfit for any form of employment, and had been given a very poor prognosis for future employment.' More than half of the settlement was allocated for loss of earnings, with the remainder covering medical expenses, legal costs, and $400,000 for 'hurt, distress and humiliation.'
The couple utilised the settlement proceeds to purchase a house in France, of which Higgins stated she retained approximately $1.9 million. They subsequently embarked on a series of holidays, rented a property on the Gold Coast for about a year, purchased designer clothing, spent over $100,000 on their Australian wedding, and acquired the French residence. Higgins later sold the French property to cover legal costs related to the defamation case, gave birth to her son, and relocated to Melbourne, leaving her with minimal assets by the time bankruptcy was declared.
