Linda Reynolds has launched bankruptcy proceedings against Brittany Higgins in an effort to claim more than $1m in damages and legal fees following her defamation win against her former staffer in August.

The former defence minister and Western Australian Liberal senator escalated the legal action on Friday in the federal court after taking similar action against Higgins’ husband, David Sharaz.

Higgins was ordered to pay Reynolds $315,000 in damages with an additional $26,109 in interest in August after a WA supreme court judge found Higgins had defamed Reynolds in social media posts. Sharaz is jointly liable for the damages, the court ruled, for his role in publishing a defamatory tweet and Instagram story. ‘Inconsequential’ texts, leaked letters and expensive clothes: five takeaway

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