‘Your girl is back’: New job for Brittany Higgins
Source: Instagram/Brittany Higgins
A jubilant Brittany Higgins has revealed she has a new job, declaring that “your girl is finally back in the workforce”.
The former Liberal staffer has started work with Sydney public relations agency Third Hemisphere.
“I’m so excited to be the new director of public affairs for the female-founded public relations agency Third Hemisphere,” Higgins wrote to her 67,000 Instagram followers on Wednesday.
“It was so personally important to me that wherever I ended up working had values that aligned with my own.
“To be in a workplace run by a fellow survivor, a working mum and someone who fundamentally believes in the importance of corporate social responsibility is a dream come true.”
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The appointment caps a big year for Higgins. She recently celebrated her first wedding anniversary with husband David Sharaz, and in March gave birth to her first child, son Freddie.
Sharaz is also a director at Third Hemisphere, which was founded a decade ago by Hannah Moreno. She is described in the media release announcing Higgins’ appointment as “vocal feminist advocate and author”.
“As a multiple-time rape survivor myself, I have long admired Brittany’s courage in taking a public stand on her own experiences, and the deeper gender inequities occurring in our highest halls of power,” Moreno said.
“Beyond this, it is her depth of skill and experience in media, government, public policy, and advocacy that attracted her as a candidate for this role.”
Higgins’ role will involve collaborating with organisations, leaders, and public figures to lead strategic advocacy and reputation management efforts. She will also oversee stakeholder engagement, media relations and public affairs initiatives.
Higgins began her career as a Liberal media adviser, working across various public departments.
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She came to national fame with her allegations of rape against then co-worker Bruce Lehrmann.
Lehrmann has consistently denied the allegation, and his trial in the ACT Supreme Court was derailed by juror misconduct. Prosecutors decided not to pursue further action, citing concerns over the impact it may have on Higgins’ mental health.
A later defamation trial found that Lehrmann had raped Higgins, to the civil standard of proof – or balance of probabilities.
Lehrmann has appealed the ruling in that case. His appeal will go before the Federal Court of Australia in August.
Higgins has since become an advocate for sexual assault survivors, as well as workplace and women’s safety.
“There was this general feeling of ‘how long do I have to be the story for?’. At what point do I get to put it to rest… and have my own identity outside this narrative of Brittany Higgins,” Higgins has told the Australian Financial Review.
“I also have a brand reputation and I don’t want to align myself in a corporate sense with someone that could be doing something untoward.
“I had to join a team that I fundamentally believe in and which believes in the same things that I do.”
She said her new job provided a unique opportunity to combine her communications expertise with meaningful work to drive change.
