Malcolm Turnbull under fire over ‘advising’ Kerryn Phelps, reports

Malcolm Turnbull has accused some of his former colleagues of ‘paranoia’ after they speculated that he may have had a hand in Julia Banks’ defection from the Liberal Party.

Malcolm Turnbull has accused some of his former colleagues of “paranoia” after they speculated that he could have a hand in Julia Banks’ defection from the Liberal Party.

The former prime minister took to social media this morning to hit back at a former colleague who The Australian quoted today as saying “his hands are all over the Julia Banks” resignation.

Mr Turnbull did not address reports however that he been in “regular contact” with Dr Kerryn Phelps, who is understood to have counselled Ms Banks before she quit the Liberal Party.

The contact has raised questions about whether he indirectly influenced Ms Banks’ decision to defect to the crossbench after it emerged yesterday Dr Phelps knew about the Victorian MP’s decision to quit before her colleagues, including Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

“Attribution bias - blaming others for the consequences of your own actions is a common symptom of paranoia,” Mr Turnbull wrote on Twitter.

“Imagining ‘invisible’ people are out to get you is also a classic symptom,” he added.

Dr Phelps, the new member for Wentworth, rejected any suggestion that she had discussed Ms Banks’ resignation with Mr Turnbull today but confirmed they had been in contact.

Former PM Malcolm Turnbull walks in the rain near his home at Point Piper, Sydney. Picture: John Feder/The Australian.

“Of course I have. Malcolm Turnbull is the former member for Wentworth and he has been very keen to ensure there is an orderly handover,” Dr Phelps told Sky News this morning.

“We just talked about how best to transition the electorate office over.”

Asked whether Mr Turnbull had a hand in Ms Banks’ decision to quit the Liberal Party, Dr Phelps said: “You’d have to ask Julia about that. Who she had conversations with is really a matter for her.”

Attribution bias - blaming others for the consequences of your own actions is a common symptom of paranoia. Imagining “invisible” people are out to get you is also a classic symptom. Not often on the front page of course... pic.twitter.com/HZoHLpfrGg

— Malcolm Turnbull (@TurnbullMalcolm) November 28, 2018

According to The Australian, Mr Turnbull and Dr Phelps have been in “regular” contact via text message as part of a “handover”.

Dr Phelps, an independent, claimed Mr Turnbull’s former seat of Wentworth in a shock by-election victory in October.

A senior Liberal source reportedly told The Australian that Mr Turnbull was counselling Dr Phelps on strategy and that “his hands are all over the Julia Banks” resignation.

“He is consumed by bringing down the government,” the Liberal source reportedly told the publication.

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Malcolm Turnbull is reportedly advising both Julia Banks and Keryn Phelps. Picture: Supplied

Former colleagues of the former prime minister are said to be disappointed over the support Mr Turnbull has given Dr Phelps, particularly after he refused to publicly back Liberal candidate Dave Sharma during the Wentworth campaign, reports The Australian.

Wednesday night’s Crossbench Christmas Party in Parliament House. Julie Bishop, Rebehka Sharkie, Julia Banks and Dr Kerryn Phelps at the gathering.

The Australian also reported that Ms Banks spoke with three female independent MPs — Cathy McGowan, Rebekha Sharkie and Dr Phelps — in the weeks prior to her resignation.

One of Dr Phelps’ staffers, former Labor adviser Darrin Barnett, told The Australian that Mr Turnbull and the new MP had spoken but denied it had been daily.

Mr Barnett added that it had been “almost exclusively about constituency matters”.

Things are looking grim for Scott Morrison’s government. Picture: Getty Images

One of Mr Turnbull’s former staffers reportedly stayed on when Dr Phelps took over to help smooth the transition.

Dr Phelps won Wentworth after Mr Turnbull’s retirement from parliament by 1860 votes.

Many Coalition powerbrokers blamed the loss on Mr Turnbull for refusing to publicly back Mr Sharma, despite requests from Mr Morrison to do so.

Mr Sharma is being encouraged to run again for the seat at the next federal election.

Ms Banks announced she would not be contesting the next election, accusing both major political parties of “bullying and intimidation” in the wake of the leadership spill in August.