Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has defended his initial decision not to brief the Prime Minister about Brittany Higgins’ rape allegations.

Mr Dutton was informed about the case by the AFP Commissioner on February 11, after it was deemed a “sensitive investigation”.

He told Ray Hadley he initially decided not to tell the PM based on his best judgement, and that he honours the confidentiality of such briefings “99 per cent of the time”.

Mr Dutton informed the PM’s office the following day instead, by which time they had already received media enquiries about the allegations.

“[The Commissioner] conducts his investigations independently, and I never seek to compromise that.

“I don’t want to impede … their investigation, their independence, and it’s also about the perception of it – I don’t want there to be a perception that there’s been an influence in a particular investigation or matter.”

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