Rachelle Miller calls for action against Alan Tudge, calling affair abusive in bombshell speech

The ex-lover of Liberal frontbencher Alan Tudge has made a bombshell allegation about her relationship with her former boss.

A former media adviser to Liberal frontbencher Alan Tudge has claimed their extra-marital affair was emotionally abusive - a claim completely rejected by her ex-boss.

Rachelle 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.”

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.”

Federal member of Parliament Alan Tudge arrives at the 2017 Mid-Winter Ball in the company of Liberal staffer Rachelle Miller, who he was having an affair with.

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

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.”

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*ck 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.”

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.

Ms Miller has made bombshell new claims about her relationship with Liberal frontbencher Alan Tudge. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Despite her decision not to participate on legal advice, the Department of Finance authorised law firm Spark Helmore conducting the investigation without interviewing Ms Miller. It then found there was insufficient evidence of any wrongdoing.

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 Commissioner Kate Jenkins and Mr Tudge has completed this process.”

Ms Miller said ‘not one’ person from the Liberal Party contacted her after she came forward about her experience with Mr Tudge. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Ms Miller first told her story a year ago on the ABC’s Four Corners admitting she had a sexual relationship with her boss.

“When I spoke out more than a year ago on Four Corners, I wanted to spark a debate, but I was too unwell to continue to publicly advocate. I needed others to tell their stories, to build a momentum,’’ she said on Thursday.

“Others did, Brittany Higgins told her experience with sheer bravery. So did Kate Johnson, Chelsey Potter, Josie Coles, Emma Husar, Catherine Marriott, others I cannot name, but thank you.

“All we ever wanted was for the Government to listen and acknowledge our experiences.

“Yet when I spoke out, not a single person from the Liberal Party contacted me to see if I was OK.”

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.”

She said the appalling treatment of women that she experienced in the early 90s as a teenager, was still occurring every day.

Ms Miller has urged the Prime Minister to act against Mr Tudge, arguing she is not out for revenge, but simply wants to see a change in culture.

She concluded by urging the Prime Minister to act.

“This is not about revenge. It has never been about that. I still sometimes feel sorry for him,’’ she said.

“It’s about ensuring that no one else goes through this in this workplace. Its about changing a system that allowed this to happen.

“Instead, Minister Tudge has been promoted, multiple times. I lost my career and so much more. All we ask for is a safe workplace.

“I look forward to the people of Aston holding Minister Tudge accountable at the election. Remember this when you vote,’’ she said.

“Or perhaps the Prime Minister might show some leadership before that. For it’s his job to hold his Ministers to account for their unacceptable behaviour.”