Brittany Higgins’ fiance David Sharaz has suddenly quit his job with Southern Cross Austereo, just days after legal action was taken against him.
Two weeks ago, Liberal senator and former Defence Minister Linda Reynolds launched defamation action against Mr Sharaz.
Ms Higgins, now 28, was working in Ms Reynolds’ Canberra office when she alleged she was raped in 2019.
In documents lodged with the WA Supreme Court, Ms Reynolds alleges that Mr Sharaz defamed her in two tweets sent from his account.
In a statement released through her lawyers, the senator said that for “the best part of the last two years I have been the subject of harassing and highly distressing trolling on social media regarding myself and my conduct in respect of events concerning Ms Brittany Higgins which has damaged my reputation and caused me, my family and my staff, considerable stress and anguish”.
“Mr Sharaz has been a constant participant in the trolling,” she added.
According to The Australian, Mr Sharaz’s resignation was “made official this morning, with his last day carried out on Wednesday”.
It is understood the decision was made “on mutual terms with the company”.
While Mr Sharaz declined to comment when contacted by the publication, a SCA spokeswoman told The Australian: “Mr Sharaz has resigned from his employment. SCA will not be providing further comment”.
Mr Sharaz briefly worked as a media adviser for the Morrison government in 2020 before returning to his journalism career.
He was promoted to SCA’s Queensland news operations last February.
Mr Sharaz and Ms Higgins announced their engagement in January, with Mr Sharaz popping the question at the Cape Byron Lighthouse, the most easterly point on the Australian mainland, on New Year’s Eve.
The pair holidayed in the Maldives several weeks later, sharing happy snaps of their romantic getaway on social media.
In October last year, a jury hearing the criminal trial of Bruce Lehrmann was discharged after juror misconduct and a planned retrial was subsequently dropped by the prosecution. Mr Lehrmann consistently denied wrongdoing, insisting that no sexual conduct occurred.
In 2021, Ms Reynolds apologised for calling Ms Higgins a “lying cow”, paid her legal costs and made a donation to a sexual assault charity.
Meanwhile, Ms Higgins recently reached a confidential settlement with the federal government, receiving a payout in the vicinity of $3 million following a personal injury claim against the commonwealth connected to its handling of her rape allegation.
The multimillion-dollar payout came after prosecutors decided to drop a charge of sexual intercourse without consent against Bruce Lehrmann.
News.com.au contacted Southern Cross Austereo and Mr Sharaz for comment.