By Tess Ikonomou in Canberra

THE  ACT government is under scrutiny for not providing people named in a landmark report into the justice system with a copy of the document.

The findings from the inquiry into the ACT justice system’s handling of Brittany Higgins’ rape allegation will be released next week.

But a number of media outlets received the report from the board of inquiry – headed by former Queensland judge Walter Sofronoff – without permission from, or the knowledge of, the territory government.

The government said the action had “affected the inquiry process and harmed people involved”.

ACT director of public prosecutions Shane Drumgold, who was a key figure in the court case and gave evidence at the inquiry, said he had not received the report.

Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee said there was a legal obligation for people with adverse findings made against them in a report to have been notified.

Ms Lee said the government should immediately release the report.

“If there is going to be some adverse findings in this report the people who are affected should have already been notified,” she told ABC radio on Friday.

Former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann was charged with raping Ms Higgins at Parliament House after a night out in 2019, but he has always denied the allegations.

His trial was aborted due to juror misconduct and prosecutors later dropped the charge over fears about the impact of a second trial on Ms Higgins’ mental health.

Mr Drumgold has taken leave until the end of the month while the government considers the findings.

News all day, every day at CityNews.com.au.