Graphic shows single key difference in Brittany Higgins and Bruce Lehrmann's accounts of alleged rape - as she braces for cross-examination

Brittany Higgins told the Federal Court on Thursday that she was happy when News Corp journalist Samantha Maiden told her, via a recorded phone call, that Bruce Lehrmann would deny having any sexual contact with her.

Ms Higgins was asked when she found out that Mr Lehrmann would not only plead not guilty to raping her, but would say they didn't have sex at all - consensually or otherwise.

She told the court she didn't know that Ms Maiden had recorded the call.

Ms Higgins was asked to recall what she said during that conversation.

'I said something like, "Oh god, you've made my weekend, I thought he was going to say it was consensual",' Ms Higgins told the court.

When asked by Network Ten's barrister Matthew Collins KC to explain that reaction, Ms Higgins said: 'I was relieved.

'I thought it would be this balanced debate about consensual sex.'

Brittany Higgins was working for Senator Michaelia Cash later in 2019 when the office received a media inquiry about her alleged rape, in 2019.

In the Federal Court on Thursday, Ms Higgins said she went into a meeting with Senator Cash and her chief of staff, Daniel Try, who told her about the media inquiry.

Ms Higgins said she was distressed that her alleged assault had come up again, and that the media knew about it.

She walked into Senator Cash's office and was greeted with a hug.

'Immediately Michaelia Cash embraced me in a hug,' Ms Higgins said.

'She was reassuring me, words to the effect that everything would be OK.'

Network Ten's barrister Matthew Collins KC asked what the substance of the meeting was, to which Ms Higgins replied: 'That they would handle it - they would make the media inquiry go away'.

The court then heard a voicemail Senator Cash left for Ms Higgins. In the recording, she said: 'Hi it's Michaelia, just checking up on you.

Referring to an event, she said: 'You looked absolutely gorgeous on Friday and I hope you had a good time.

'I hope everything's OK. Daniel's got everything under control, I promise you.'

Brittany Higgins arrived at the Federal Court on Thursday morning with her lawyer Leon Zwier and friend Emma Webster.

Wednesday was a trying day where she sobbed as she recounted the details of her alleged rape.

However, she could face more turmoil on Thursday under cross-examination by Bruce Lehrmann's barrister Steven Whybrow.

Here's what happened in court on Wednesday.

Brittany Higgins was all smiles outside court, before what would be a distressing and highly emotional day in the witness stand.

Entering the Federal Court on Wednesday morning, Ms Higgins would have known today was the day she would have to recount her alleged rape before a judge, silks, law students, reporters and more than 10,000 spectators who tuned into the livestream.

And her nerves showed.

Brittany Higgins and Bruce Lehrmann were both asked to mark separate diagrams of Linda Reynolds' ministerial suite, where she alleges he raped her on the evening of March 23, 2019.

The two sketches were published on the Federal Court's website on Wednesday night and share a few similarities.

Both diagrams clearly detail where various individuals sat in the office, along with entry points and exits.

However, one glaringly obvious difference is that Ms Higgins' diagram (bottom) shows a stick figure lying on a couch in Senator Reynolds' office - whereas Mr Lehrmann's (top) does not.

The images illustrate the stark contrast in Ms Higgins' and Mr Lehrmann's version of events that night, when she alleges he raped her on a couch in Senator Reynolds' ministerial office.

Earlier on Wednesday, Ms Higgins described her alleged rape in graphic detail.

She told the court that she arrived at Parliament House with Mr Lehrmann late at night before security let them into the ministerial suite.

Ms Higgins recalled sitting on a bench overlooking the Prime Minister's courtyard. The next thing she remembered was waking up on the couch to a pain in her leg.

She said: 'Bruce was having sex with me'.

Mr Lehrmann told his version of events last week, and his story couldn't be more different.

He told the court they were let into the ministerial suite and went their separate ways.

Mr Lehrmann said he collected his keys, made notes on Question Time briefs, called an Uber and left.

He strongly denies having any sexual interaction with Ms Higgins.

Bruce Lehrmann is suing Lisa Wilkinson and Network 10 in the Federal Court over her 2021 interview with Brittany Higgins where she alleged he raped her in Parliament House in 2019.

While he was not named, he claims friends and former colleagues were able to identify him as the alleged rapist.

He has continually maintained his innocence.

The trial began on November 22 and Mr Lehrmann gave evidence over five days.

Brittany Higgins started her evidence-in-chief on Tuesday afternoon. On Wednesday, she detailed her alleged rape in graphic detail.

She will continue giving evidence on Thursday.