By Andrew Brown and Poppy Johnston in Canberra

PRIME Minister Anthony Albanese has dismissed as a “bizarre conspiracy theory” suggestions Labor has questions to answer over its knowledge of Brittany Higgins’ rape allegations.

His comments come as he defends his front bench colleague, Finance Minister Katy Gallagher, who has denied she misled parliament in 2021 about being aware of the allegations before they were made public.

Responding to a claim she knew about the incident for weeks to use it for political gain, Senator Gallagher said she did not seek to weaponise the allegations.

Questions were raised of the finance minister after leaked text messages between Ms Higgins and her partner David Sharaz emerged last week suggesting the pair contemplated strategising her story with Senator Gallagher when she was in opposition.

Mr Albanese said his minister had been transparent and the suggestion Senator Gallagher misled parliament was “absurd”.

“It’s a bizarre conspiracy theory that suggests that Labor is somehow at the centre of all of this,” he told ABC Radio.

“And indeed, according to Senator (Linda) Reynolds herself, and the discussion that took place at that time on the Monday night, Katy Gallagher said, ‘yes, I was made aware in broad terms that there was an incident in the days beforehand’.

“So this has been known by Senator Reynolds since that time since 2001, and now, in 2023, somehow this is this concocted issue by what is a desperate Liberal opposition.”

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young described the treatment of the allegations as “disgusting” and blasted the “politicking, the mudslinging and the hypocrisy”.

“I’m extremely concerned about the message this sends to women… whether you are a political staffer, whether you are a cleaner, whether you work at Aussie’s cafe, whether you are a journalist, this is not okay,” she said.

“The people trying to score political points out of this should be ashamed of themselves.”

The Greens will not facilitate any political game-playing on the allegations, and there were “serious questions” to be asked about how the messages had publicly leaked.

“It just beggars belief that we’re back in this building after 12 months of discussion on trying to raise the standards in this place, to have this back being debated in this manner,” Senator Hanson-Young  said.

As parliament resumes on Tuesday, coalition senators are set to use Question Time to target Senator Gallagher over her knowledge of the allegations.

Opposition Senate leader Simon Birmingham said because Labor previously chose to ask hundreds of questions about the Higgins matter, questions being asked now about who knew what were warranted.

“The claims that there was no knowledge of any information were made to the senate… it’s only appropriate that that should be cleared up and addressed in the senate by (Senator Gallagher),” he told Sky News.

Asked about claims made by Fiona Brown, the former chief of staff for Senator Reynolds, that ex-prime minister Scott Morrison misled parliament over his knowledge of the case, Senator Birmingham said Mr Morrison’s ministerial career was over.

Senator Birmingham added it would have been far preferable for police to be involved in the case at the earliest possible stage and for legal proceedings to have been allowed to run their course.

The ACT is holding an inquiry into the investigation and prosecution.

Ms Higgins alleges she was raped by former colleague Bruce Lehrmann in Parliament House in 2019, a claim Mr Lehrmann has always denied.

The trial of Mr Lehrmann was aborted over juror misconduct and prosecutors did not seek a retrial, citing concern for Ms Higgins’ mental health.

Trial by a media that may have unclean hands