NSW Minister under fire over explicit text messages

A STATE minister has been forced to apologise after explicit texts he sent to a fellow MP were revealed by his ex-girlfriend.

NSW Minister Matt Kean is under fire after it was revealed he shared explicit texts with a fellow state Liberal MP.

Last night, the NSW Innovation Minister told The Daily Telegraph that his two-year relationship with Caitlin Keage, an adviser to the Prime Minister, had ended “spectacularly”.

The explicit texts — written between Mr Kean and Miranda MP Eleni Petinos — were exposed after Ms Keage posted screenshots of them online.

In the texts, which took place shortly after Christmas, Mr Kean messages Ms Petinos while she’s “playing a board game with my family”, saying he’s “tempted to drive down to see you”.

“Miss me huh?” she asks.

“Yup, really need to f**k you,” he responds.

Ms Petinos says he has “CK” for that and tells him it’s “that time of the month”.

He responds: “OK come up later x.”

The next day, Ms Petinos texted Mr Kean and said: “Just got your Christmas card — you’re absolutely gorgeous — love you xx.”

The messages were sent between Member for Hornsby Matt Kean and Member for Miranda Eleni Petinos, pictured above.

Last night Mr Kean told The Daily Telegraph: “I am deeply sorry my relationship with Caitlin has ended in such a spectacular and sad fashion. I wish her all the best.”

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian responded to the scandal this morning, saying: “What I’ve read this morning is extremely disappointing. I’m personally disappointed in him and have told him so, but it is nonetheless a personal matter.”

She told Seven News she found out about it “the same time everybody else did”, adding that she won’t be firing him over his involvement.

The New South Wales Premier @GladysB says she won't be firing Fair Trading Minister Matt Kean over his involvement in an office sexting scandal. Mr Kean's former girlfriend revealed he sent text messages to fellow state @LiberalNSW MP Eleni Petinos asking for sex. #7News pic.twitter.com/JfTOsk05ee

— 7 News Sydney (@7NewsSydney) February 22, 2018

Speaking on Today this morning, Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne said it’s “very upsetting” for everyone involved.

“I hope that both parties can move on from it. I’ve known both of them for a very long time. So for me personally, it’s a very sad story.”

He insisted it had “nothing to do with the Prime Minister’s office”, despite the fact that Ms Keage is a senior adviser to Malcolm Turnbull.

“That doesn’t mean it’s the Prime Minister’s office’s responsibility to take care of the personal matters of either their staff or their staff’s former boyfriends, or former girlfriends for that matter,” said Mr Pyne.

He said he’s unsure what will happen next.

The Daily Telegraph also reported that two years ago that a different girlfriend accused him of having a relationship with Ms Keage.

news.com.au has contacted Mr Kean and Ms Petinos for comment.