TRIGGER WARNING: This newsletter references sexual assault. If you’re not in a place to read about that atm, click away now and take care of yourself 🤍

My heart goes out to Brittany Higgins. I don’t want to be writing about this case now that know we’ll never have a verdict. But thanks to whoever is leaking the contents of her phone… here we are.

The ‘story’ is short: someone with access to the AFP’s investigation has leaked texts on Higgins’ phone to The Australian, where her boyfriend David Sharaz says he asked Katy Gallagher (now Finance Minister) and some other Labor MPs for ‘support’. The Liberal party are saying this proves the ALP was trying to “politically profit” off a sexual assault.

The only question I’ve been asking myself about this – and the only question I think is relevant for you – is…

Does it matter?

Let’s say that Senator Gallagher did know about Higgins’ allegations before they became public. So? It doesn’t change the details of the claim. The allegations remain frozen, forever undecided: that a Liberal staffer *allegedly* raped his co-worker in Liberal Minister Linda Reynolds office at Parliament House. That Reynolds had her office immediately cleaned, fired Lehrmann, and moved Higgins on to another department. That Higgins initially went to police, but dropped the claim over fears she would lose her job.

How could anyone make that story any bigger? You couldn’t make it more damaging for the Liberal party if you tried. Whether Higgins had Gallagher’s support beforehand was never going to change what would happen after the story was out.

It feels like there will be a bunch more coverage about this, so I guess this is a warning: it’s not worth getting sucked in to this story. Most of all because it makes no sense. What did they want the Labor party to do? Give them a head’s up? Not be supportive of a young woman who disclosed a traumatic experience? Not be supportive of calls to improve workplace culture at Parliament House? Don’t let your friends, family, community get fooled by it.

This story arguably cost the Liberals the election and bringing it up again after the case has closed is dragging out the reputational damage. They stand to gain nothing… except for deterring victims of sexual assault from ever trying to seek justice.

What type of party sees that as a win, I wonder?

– Crystal
Founder & Chief of Everything at Zee Feed
Follow me on Instagram or TikTok

Good stuff on Zee Feed rn:

According to our poll, 40% of you are unsure whether real feminism can exist in reality TV. I think it’s possible! This article has examples of shows that achieve it beautifully. FBoy Island is not one of them, of course, which is why it’s sucked to see a feminist figure like Abbie Chatfield spruik that message. CLICK HERE TO READ.

Smart stuff on the Internet 💭

All the stuff I found on the web that made me think, smile, or have an ‘aha!’ moment. Spend your Sunday reading them – you'll be better off for it:

Where To Now For Australian Music Festivals? on Junkee
“Changing climate conditions cause issues across the board. Over the difficult last few years, insurance premiums for Australian festivals have skyrocketed by as much as 300%… This, coupled with inflation, means putting on an event is much, much more expensive than it was five years ago.”

In China, Young Graduates Are Selling Their Knowledge on the Streets on Sixth Tone
“A political science postgraduate shared a photo of himself apparently offering one-on-one ‘political science consulting services’ on the street, with topics including Russia-Ukraine relations, populism, and identity politics. Philosophy and psychology graduates are offering discussions about mental health and existentialism in the southwestern Yunnan province.”

You Have Been Told a Lie podcast
Independent journalism ftw. Thinesh Thillainadarajah and Jay Ooi’s podcast tells the whole story of the Nadesalingams – the Tamil asylum seeker family in Biloela, who our govt cruelly detained. The question at its heart: What sort of people do they need to be to stay?

Tea Tea on Vulture
NO SPOILERS but this is the funniest thing I’ve read this year lmao. Best summed up by a comment: “no matter your background, class, ethnicity, nationality, etc., we are all human. which is to say, we are all insufferable blowhards.” LITERALLY.

And the incredible timing of this New York billboard for the Diablo IV video game 💀

If you found this email thought-provoking, will you share it with a friend? Sharing helps us grow 🌱 and makes you look really smart.