Thom report: Alan Tudge cleared of wrongdoing; denies having sex with staffer

The former education minister told an inquiry that although he and his press secretary were ‘intimate’ on four occasions, they never had sex.

Former education minister Alan Tudge told the inquiry into allegations he was abusive towards his the press secretary that despite being “intimate” with her on four separate occasions, they “never had sex” and he did not consider them to be in relationship.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday released the results of the inquiry by former public servant Vivienne Thom into allegations by Mr Tudge’s former press secretary Rachelle Miller that during their 2017 affair he bullied and harassed her, was emotionally abusive, and physically abused her on a work trip to Kalgoorlie.

Alan Tudge and staffer Rachelle Miller at the 2017 Mid-Winter Ball in Canberra. Picture: ABC/Four Corners

Ms Miller refused to participate in the inquiry, and Dr Thom found the evidence she had considered did “not provide a basis for a finding that Mr Tudge’s conduct breached the ministerial standards”.

But despite being cleared by the inquiry, the PM said Mr Tudge would not return to the ministry.

“Today he has informed me that in the interests of his family and his own wellbeing, and in order to focus on his re-election as the Member for Aston, he is not seeking to return to the frontbench, and I support his decision,” Mr Morrison said on Friday.

Mr Miller alleged last December that during a work trip to Kalgoorlie with then-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, Mr Tudge, who was human services minister at the time, had kicked her out of his bed and told her to ‘get the f..k out’ out of his hotel room.

Mr Tudge told Dr Thom that he had been intimate with Ms Miller on four occasions between June and August 2017, and that he “referred to these interactions in my public statements as an ‘affair’” because he wanted to take responsibility for his actions “and not split hairs as to what did or did not occur.”

But he said he did “not consider this to be a ‘relationship’ in the usual sense of the word” because there were “almost none of the typical characteristics of what would ordinarily be considered a relationship.”

Mr Tudge’s former education and youth portfolio will continue to be filled by Stuart Robert. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

He said the pair did “not speak to each other on the phone or communicate over text messages about our daily events or about personal matters”, and never organised a time “to meet together for dinner or lunch or a walk or any other casual activity”, aside from one occasion when they had a drink at a Canberra hotel.

He denied the pair ever had sex.

“We never once organised a time for us to be intimate together,” he said.

“None of the four times that we were intimate together were organised or prearranged or discussed in advance. There was never an expectation that something would occur.”

He said that on each occasion they were intimate, he assumed it was the last time.

“Indeed, on the fourth (and last) occasion that we were intimate, she came to my apartment in Canberra (where I live alone) in the evening, and pressed the buzzer at the complex entrance, asking to come up,” he said.

“I said ‘no’ through the apartment intercom for some five or 10 minutes, before I finally agreed to her demand.”

Dr Thom said that Mr Tudge had said “that in his view Ms Miller was in love with him and wanted a long-term relationship, which was not reciprocated.”

Of the Kalgoorlie trip, Mr Tudge said that the pair and been drinking, and that towards the end of the evening went outside and up the stairs to where their hotel rooms were, and “in the moment” she decided to come into his room.

Scott Morrison said Mr Tudge (behind) was not seeking a return to the frontbecnch.

He said that having slept for several hours, they woke and Ms Miller got dressed and went to her room.

“Both of us knew that her being in my room was wrong and we did not wish for anyone else to see us together,” he said.

“Hence, both of (us) knew that we needed to be in our own rooms.

“I categorically deny kicking her in the bed and calling for her to “get the f..k out my room”. This is not in my character at all.”

Dr Thom spoke to a former member of Mr Tudge’s staff, who claimed Ms Miller had shared “pretty much every detail” with her, “every phone call, every time she felt a little flutter, any confusion that she felt” even before she was intimate with the minister.

The staffer said Ms Miller had told her of her intimacy with Mr Tudge “immediately upon returning from a work trip to Queensland.”

The staffer described Ms Miller as “infatuated” with her boss, and said she had also shared intimate details about Kalgoorlie and “spoke glowingly about the trip — about how they were intimate together on the trip and that they had a drink together in public’.”

She said Ms Miller did not mention any poor behaviour by Mr Tudge or being kicked in bed, and that everything Ms Miller said “was glowing in praise and positivity about the trip and about Mr Tudge”.

The staffer said that she was “‘very aware both from my conversations with Rachelle and texts ... that they never had sexual intercourse.”

She said she never saw conduct that she would describe as patronage or favouritism displayed by Mr Tudge in the office, and she considered Ms Miller’s claims of abusive behaviour by Mr Tudge to be untrue.

Dr Thom found that “the evidence considered in this inquiry does not provide a basis for a finding that Mr Tudge’s conduct breached the ministerial standards”.

The PM said in a statement that Ms Miller and Mr Tudge had been invited to take part in the inquiry, but she had declined to participate.

“Ultimately, Ms Miller chose not to participate in the inquiry but the inquiry was able to draw on her public statements,” Mr Morrison said.

Dr Thom is a former Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security and ombudsman.

Stuart Robert will continue as Minister for Education and Youth, and Minister for Employment, Workforce, Skills, Small and Family Business.