Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has described the political fighting over the leaking of Brittany Higgins' private text messages and documents as not a good look for the parliament.
The federal opposition has launched repeated attacks on the government in both houses of parliament over the possible use of the former Liberal staffer's rape allegation for political gain.
It has accused Finance Minister Katy Gallagher of misleading the Senate by suggesting she was not aware of Ms Higgins' rape allegations before they were made public in 2021, despite leaked text messages suggesting otherwise.
Senator Gallagher has denied the accusation she had misled parliament while in opposition.
As federal parliament reckons with its progress towards becoming a safe workplace for women, Mr Albanese said the leaking of the messages should not have taken place.
"The leaking of messages, the report today about the claim that Brittany Higgins made that wasn't available ... to appear in detail is an issue," he told ABC Radio, referencing a front page story in The Australian newspaper which detailed a confidential settlement Ms Higgins received following her alleged sexual assault inside Parliament House.
"Ms Higgins' personal messages with her partner to appear in the paper in the way that they have is something that shouldn't have occurred, and I'm concerned about that."
When asked if the incident was a good look for parliament, the prime minister said it was "certainly not".
"I am worried that the focus that is going on at the moment will have a triggering effect and will deter people from coming forward," he said.
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said the pursuit of the issue had become unacceptable and would affect other women.
"When a woman who is considering reporting a sexual assault sees a confidential document from another alleged victim published on the front page of a national newspaper, they must ponder whether the report is worth it (or) whether those in power are going to come after them too," he told parliament.
"The confidential document ... was published without regard for the interest of an alleged victim of sexual assault (and) her rights have not been respected."
Senator Gallagher said she was disappointed by the tone of the debate in parliament.
"I'm very sorry for Brittany Higgins, I'm sorry that documents about her personal life have been leaked," she said.
"The work we have done ... on asking women to come forward when something happens to them and then treating women the way they are being treated right now, it says something."
Greens senator Larissa Waters described events in parliament as an "absolute abomination".
"I really thought we were making progress, but all this week we have seen the appalling politicisation of the allegations made by Brittany Higgins, a most courageous and dignified young woman," she said.
"The behaviour on display here and this week only serves to validate the concerns of victim survivors that they will be ignored, that they will lose their jobs (and) that they will not be believed."
In 2021, Ms Higgins alleged she was raped by fellow Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann inside the office of then-minister Senator Reynolds two years earlier, which he has always denied.
She reached a confidential settlement with the Commonwealth in December 2022 after she launched legal action against her employers in the former coalition government.
