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The white dress Brittany Higgins wore to a feminist rally outside Parliament House could soon be a permanent fixture in the collection in the Museum of Australian Democracy.
Ms Higgins wore the $475 white farah-belted utility pocket dress by British label Reiss when she delivered an impassioned speech to a crowd of 5,000 at a women’s ‘March 4 Justice’ rally on March 15, 2021.
It came just a month after she publicly alleged for the first time that ‘a male colleague’ had raped her inside the parliamentary office of then-defence industry minister, Linda Reynolds, two years’ prior.
‘If it can happen in Parliament House, it can happen anywhere,’ she told the roaring crowd.
The colleague in question was later identified as Bruce Lehrmann, who pleaded not guilty in a jury trial two years’ later. He has continually maintained his innocence.
Daily Mail Australia can now reveal Ms Higgins’s iconic outift has been offered to the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House in Canberra to become part of its collection.
Brittany Higgins is pictured in the white dress at the March 4 Justice rally in front of Parliament House in March, 2021
Pictured: Brittany Higgins addressing the crowd outside Parliament House on March 15
It is understood the donation was offered to the museum by Ms Higgins’s fiancé, David Sharaz.
The outfit ‘features a semi sheer shirt top and falls into a fitting silhouette with a utilitarian style belt in a midi length design,’ according to the Reiss website, where it was recently on sale for $112 – down from $475.
A spokesman for the museum confirmed the outfit is ‘undergoing the standard collection acquisition process’.
‘We are frequently offered objects that relate to events in Australia’s democratic history,’ the spokesperson told Daily Mail Austalia.
‘The Women’s March for Justice is part of that history and the dress was worn during that event.’
If accepted, Ms Higgins’ dress would sit alongside other items in the collection – including the red satin block heels former foreign minister Julie Bishop wore when she resigned from office in 2018.
Ms Higgins’ dress could sit alongside the red satin block heels former foreign minister Julie Bishop wore when she resigned from cabinet in 2018 (pictured)
In the museum’s temporary collection is Margaret Chisholm’s ‘federation dress’ from 1901 (pictured)
In the museum’s temporary collection is Margaret Chisholm’s ‘federation dress’, which is significant because it was custom made for her to wear to a Federation ball in 1901.
While most rally attendees at the March 4 Justice rally wore funeral black, the former Liberal staffer stood out among the crowd in ‘suffragette white’.
Her fashion choice mirrored that of former Australia Post CEO Christine Holgate, who wore a white blazer when she called for an end to workplace bullying at a senate inquiry into her controversial departure.
During her speech in 2021, Ms Higgins fired shots at the former Morrison government for allegedly failing to protect her following her allegations and urged victims of assault to ‘speak up’.
‘Take ownership of your story and free yourself from the stigma of shame,’ she said.
Other speakers included Lisa Wilkinson, who interviewed Ms Higgins on The Project when she first aired her rape allegations.
Brittany Higgins is pictured with her fiancé, David Sharaz, in Brisbane on Saturday
Ms Higgins (pictured in Brisbane on Saturday) alleged Bruce Lehrmann raped her inside Parliament House in 2019. Mr Lehrmann denies the allegations
Though Mr Lehrmann was not originally identified as Ms Higgins’ alleged rapist during her initial allegations on The Project and in a News Corp article in February 2021, he was named later that year when he was charged with sexual assault.
Mr Lehrmann was tried by jury in a month-long trial in the ACT Supreme Court in October last year, but the case was aborted due to misconduct by a juror.
The ACT Director of Public Prosecutions then dropped the matter entirely, citing concerns for Ms Higgins’ mental health.
The former Liberal staffer launched a civil suit against the Commonwealth in December, but the matter was settled privately.
On Monday, Ms Higgins hit back at claims she gained more than $3million from the settlement – claiming in a Twitter post that the payment was in fact far less.
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