Luke Foley was warned to control MPs or ‘face the consequences’

CORRECTIONS Minister David Elliott revealed he warned Opposition Leader Luke Foley the “genie would be let out of the bag” if he failed to stop his MPs from sledging, and it was a comment about his dead father which pushed him over the edge.

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BESIEGED Labor leader Luke Foley was warned he would be the subject of an attack should he fail to stop his MPs from making personal remarks about Coalition MPs.

Corrections Minister David Elliott has revealed he personally warned Mr Foley in September that “one more strike” would be to his detriment.

The conversation, which occurred as the pair walked out of the parliamentary chamber, followed a heated exchange between Mr Elliott and Labor MP Hugh McDermott.

Opposition Leader Luke Foley was pre-warned he would be attacked. Picture: Joel Carrett

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Mr Elliott had moved a controversial motion to condemn Mr McDermott for “failing to represent his constituents” and “neglecting his community”.

During the debate, Mr McDermott noted the death of Mr Elliott’s father whom he said “died of shame a few weeks ago”.

The comment, which referenced 2GB host Alan Jones’s statement about the father of former prime minister Julia Gillard, followed Mr Elliott suggesting Mr McDermott’s mother should have “thrown you out and kept the stork”.

David Elliott used parliamentary privilege to attack Mr Foley. Picture: Brianne Makin

Mr Elliott’s attack came after a heated exchange with Labor MP Hugh McDermott. Picture: Carmela Roche.

As Mr Elliott walked out of the chamber, he approached Mr Foley and warned the state opposition leader he was ready to “let the genie out of the bottle”.

The warning followed another heated exchange in the chamber last year, when Labor MPs Michael Daley and David Harris made comments about the marriage breakdown of Transport Minister Andrew Constance and the sexual assault charges against Treasurer Dominic Perrottet’s younger brother Jean Claude, who was later found not guilty.

“ I told Luke he would not get a third warning,” Mr Elliott said.

“It’s a two-way street.”

Mr Foley has denied Mr Elliott’s allegations that he harassed an ABC journalist at a Christmas Party in 2016.

The ABC has committed to an investigation of the matter, although is yet to contact Mr Elliott.