Ex Labor minister reportedly trying to act as powerbroker in former electorate, texts reveal
THE former Labor minister who famously resigned after allegedly dancing in his underwear at a wild budget night party is back and understood to be trying to act as a powerbroker in his former electorate.
NSW
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THE former Labor minister who famously resigned after allegedly dancing in his underwear at a wild budget night party is back and understood to be trying to act as a powerbroker in his former electorate.
The Daily Telegraph has obtained text messages that show former Kiama MP Matt Brown is trying to pull the strings to install little-known coal miner Andy Higgins into the seat.
Mr Brown describes himself in one message as “playing the chess pieces” to ensure Mr Higgins gets preselection in Kiama, where he will face Liberal MP Gareth Ward.
“Beds and dinner and car parking and whatever else is needed will be provided by me (and my partner),” writes the now Kiama councillor.
Mr Brown quit as police minister just days after he was promoted to the role after reports of a wild budget night party during which he was alleged to have danced in his underwear and simulated a sex act with the then Wollongong MP Noreen Hay at Parliament House. It was reported at the time that Mr Brown climbed on top of Ms Hay before turning to her adult daughter and yelling: “Look at this, I’m titty f…ing your mother.”
He later denied using those words and said the allegations were “generally not true”.
Mr Brown had considered running for the ALP preselection himself earlier this year, but NSW Labor heavyweights expressed their reluctance to nominate him. Now he is backing Mr Higgins.
“We have worked hard to get the new (Kiama council) GM we wanted,” Mr Brown wrote in an April text message to councillor colleague Don Watson.
“Now we need the member. I need u guys to trust me and put in a huge effort now. This is the pointy end!!”
Mr Brown told the Telegraph: “My private texts are my private texts and I can’t recall (this text), I text a lot.” But he confirmed that he backed Mr Higgins.
When contacted, Mr Higgins said: “I’ve got to keep moving mate,” but denied contact with Mr Brown except for “running into him time to time but that’s about it”.
One NSW Labor source said “the messages (Mr Brown is) sending are both bizarre and unintelligible”.
Mr Watson did not respond to requests for comment.