Alan Tudge stands down after ex-lover’s bombshell claim

Alan Tudge says he “utterly” rejects allegations he was emotionally abusive to his ex-lover, and will produce “her own written words to me” to defend himself.

Education Minister Alan Tudge has stood aside from his portfolio pending a fresh investigation into his extramarital affair with his former press secretary Rachelle Miller.

In a statement on Thursday afternoon welcoming the probe, Mr Tudge said he “utterly” rejected Ms Miller’s accusations that he was emotionally abusive, and that the events she described “did not happen and are contradicted by her own written words to me”.

“I regret having to say these things. I do not wish Ms Miller ill but I have to defend myself in light of these allegations, which I reject,” he said.

“The contradictory written evidence will be referred to a full, independent review. I welcome such a process and will make available both myself and all materials, and co-operate in every way.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison made the shock announcement to Parliament earlier at the beginning of Question Time.

“Given the seriousness of these claims that have been made by Ms Miller, it is important that these matters are resolved fairly and expeditiously,” he said.

“To this end, the Minister had agreed to my request to stand aside while these issues are addressed.”

The Prime Minister said an investigation into the claims would now be conducted by the Department of Finance led by Vivienne Thom.

Alan Tudge arrives at the 2017 Mid-Winter Ball in the company of staffer Rachelle Miller.

The Prime Minister’s chief of staff John Kunkel rang Ms Miller shortly before question time to inform her of the Mr Morrison’s decision to hold an inquiry.

“These issues are obviously deeply concerning and I know deeply distressing, for Ms Miller, Minister Tudge and the families affected by these events,” the Prime Minister told parliament.

“I have discussed Ms Miller’s statement with Mr Tudge, who refuted the allegations made.

“The inquiry will enable my department to provide me with any further advice regarding any implications for the ministerial standards. But I wish to stress that this action, in no way seeks to draw a conclusion on these matters.

“But this is the appropriate action for me to take under the ministerial standards. I note that Minister Tudge has welcomed this process. And he looks forward to participating in this process.”

Earlier this morning, the former media adviser to Liberal frontbencher Alan Tudge claimed their extramarital affair was emotionally abusive — a claim completely rejected by her ex-boss.

Rachelle Miller holds a press conference at Parliament House. Picture: Martin Ollman/NCA NewsWire

Ms Miller, who had a sexual relationship with Mr Tudge in 2017, held a press conference at Parliament House on Thursday.

She said while she has previously described the relationship as consensual, it was also complex.

“I am fully aware that a year ago I said my relationship with Minister Alan Tudge was a consensual relationship, but it’s more complicated than that,” she said.

“I was so ashamed, so humiliated, so scared, so exhausted. I told the small part of my story I was able to manage.

“Meanwhile, the PM’s men were out, briefing against me to the media.

“I was completely under his control. He war-gamed lines with me, telling me to stay silent, telling me that we were in this together, that people were trying to destroy us, his career, my career.

“This relationship was defined by a significant power imbalance.”

Scott Morrison has asked Alan Tudge to step aside. Picture: David Gray/Getty Images

Ms Miller said while the relationship was littered with happy moments and acts of kindness, there were also moments where the opposite was true.

“There were times when he was kind, we had great conversations, we did a lot of amazing work together, through such tough times,” she said.

Mr Tudge has firmly rebutted Ms Miller’s claims, telling news.com.au: “I completely and utterly reject Ms Miller’s version of events.

“Ms Miller and I had a consensual affair in 2017 as both of us have publicly acknowledged. This is something I deeply regret.”

Ms Miller claims in the new account that Mr Tudge once kicked her out of a hotel room after she woke up naked in his bed because he wanted to get more sleep while she fielded media calls.

“Today I stand in my former workplace to say, again, that what happened to me in this place was not OK,” her statement to Parliament House reads.

“I call on every woman in this building to stand with me, but I know that many are scared about their jobs, their livelihoods, the careers they’ve worked so hard for.”

Rachelle Miller claims Alan Tudge was emotionally abusive. Picture: Martin Ollman/NCA NewsWire

During one trip to Kalgoorlie with then Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to announce the Cashless Welfare Card trial, Ms Miller said Mr Tudge encouraged her to stay up late drinking.

She woke up naked in his hotel room.

“My mobile phone started ringing. I woke up in the pitch black dark and reached for my phone,” she said.

“It was about 4am and a morning media producer was calling about the front-page story, wanting to line up an interview with the Minister.

“[The Minister] was furious, telling me to ‘get the f**k out of his bed’. I quickly told the producer I would call her back. I then realised I was completely naked.

“I fell off the side of the bed and ended up on the floor. I searched around in the dark for my clothes. He was yelling at me that my phone had ‘woken him up’. He ‘needed to get more sleep’.”

Ms Miller said she then returned to her room and started work.

“I unpacked my laptop, sat at the desk, and started answering and making phone calls and emails to arrange the media for the Minister for the day,” she said.

Alan Tudge has denied the allegations.

A taxpayer-funded workplace investigation into Education Minister Alan Tudge’s extramarital affair and treatment of Ms Miller found there was insufficient evidence to substantiate allegations of inappropriate behaviours.

Mr Tudge has admitted to the affair and apologised to his wife, family and Ms Miller but flatly rejected any suggestion of bullying.

In a statement to news.com.au on November 9, a spokesman for Mr Tudge said there were “no adverse findings” against him.

“While respecting the confidentiality of the process, I can confirm that the independent assessment by law firm Sparke Helmore and the Department of Finance was completed in early June 2021 and there were no adverse findings against Mr Tudge,” the spokesman said.

“All MPs and senior staff are expected to undertake workplace management training as outlined by [Sex Discrimination] Commissioner Kate Jenkins and Mr Tudge has completed this process.”

Despite the Prime Minister’s claims he was willing to hear women’s experiences, Ms Miller said that she had been ostracised and ignored.

“I have reached out on many occasions to speak to the PM and others,’’ she said.

“This is entirely a men’s issue, and specifically, the men in this building. The Liberal Party doesn’t have a women problem, it has a men problem,’’ she said.

“Labor has stayed quiet because they have just as many skeletons. The two major parties will work together when it comes to protecting each other.”

Alan Tudge says he ‘utterly’ rejects Rachelle Miller’s claims. Picture: Gary Ramage/NCA NewsWire

In a statement on Thursday afternoon, Mr Tudge reiterated his denial.

“I completely and utterly reject Ms Miller’s accusations,” he said.

“Both of us have acknowledged publicly that we had a consensual affair in 2017. This is something that I regret deeply. We were both married at the time and it was wrong. It contributed to the end of my marriage that year.

“Ms Miller and I worked closely together in 2017. It involved constant travel, long hours and often we were under pressure. We became attracted to each other and on a small number of occasions that attraction was acted upon.

“It should not have happened.

“Ms Miller was a good media adviser. My chief of staff and I sought to get her promoted to the level she requested. It was ultimately unsuccessful but when she moved to Michaelia Cash’s office in late 2017, she was promoted to the senior level.

“I have not seen Ms Miller since 2017.

“I have accepted responsibility for a consensual affair that should not have happened many years ago. But Ms Miller’s allegations are wrong, did not happen and are contradicted by her own written words to me.

“I regret having to say these things. I do not wish Ms Miller ill but I have to defend myself in light of these allegations, which I reject.

“The contradictory written evidence will be referred to a full, independent review. I welcome such a process and will make available both myself and all materials, and co-operate in every way.

“I would note that a previous set of claims were also considered and rejected through an independent investigation.

“During the course of this process I will stand aside as Minister for Education and Youth .

“Given the immense personal impact of such claims I will also now take a period of leave between now and Christmas.”