‘Entirely inappropriate’ for politicians to ask anti-corruption commission to look into Brittany Higgins payout, PM says

Anthony Albanese says integrity body will be independent of MPs as opposition calls for scrutiny of settlement with former staffer

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Anthony Albanese said it would be “entirely inappropriate” for politicians to direct the national integrity commission to investigate a matter, after the Coalition opposition called for further scrutiny on Brittany Higgins’ compensation payout.

The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, questioned whether ministers had misled parliament about their knowledge of Higgins’ allegations of rape before they were made public, and if the commonwealth’s settlement had followed an “appropriate process”.

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