Now she will settle for $3 million instead.

I note that media in the 21st century tend to elevate victims to hero status. An aggrieved party will be told it's not their fault when they clearly made themselves vulnerable. It then follows that some other party is wholly to blame and must be punished in that media or made to pay an economic penalty. The payoff to the 'victim' is exoneration, revenge and perhaps money.

In the bad old days of pre-woke Canberra there must have been innumerable trysts that one participant regretted. Nonetheless they put it down to experience. Perhaps it's time Canberra went back to its main business.

"The documents obtained by The Weekend Australian also ­reveal that Higgins joked in text messages about crying on The Project to deflect criticism in the media, and, six weeks before the alleged rape, wanting a political sex scandal:

'A sex scandal the party can be proud of. Another Barnaby but without the baby haha,' Higgins wrote. None of this was revealed in the trial.

Well, you've won me over Bettina.

I think a retrial should proceed to give Bruce Lehrmann a chance to prove his innocence;
But not only that, I think there should be a full investigation into whether Brittany herself sought to concoct this entire saga.

Then put her on trial.

- If she's joked about crying in the media, that's enough for me to think her claims of mental health issues are overstated.
This whole thing stinks.

If never, ever accepting '...there must have been innumerable trysts that one participant regretted. Nonetheless they put it down to experience..." means I'm "woke", then I'm proud to wear that apparent slur. I can't believe this stuff.

I have long contended that the law and justice have very little in common. Personally I have no faith in the jury system as the outcome of innocence or guilt rests with how convincing the arguments are. The sole exception to this is if one of the parties actually confesses. In the absence of definite witnesses only two parties know the truth, the accuser and the victim.
As the writer states Higgins appears to have done well, albeit at a perceived cost. Lehrmann less so and has/will probably never recover. Humans are just another animal species and prone to all the failings that entails including sexual desires. There is little, if any, difference between sexes in this. Generally speaking both Males and Females enjoy good old bonking. If opportunities are offered then they will be taken, or an attempt made which does not make it correct. In this case perhaps nobody knows the truth as it seems too much alcohol was involved. In the absence of obvious violence perhaps both parties should share the blame but the outcome from this looks like being very unfairly one sided.

Correction:
Should be accused and victim, accuser and victim usually same party.