‘Late’: Prime Minister’s admission over Alan Tudge’s property disclosure

The Prime Minister has conceded an under-fire Minister was “late” to declare a property transfer amid calls to let him loose on the campaign trail.

Education Minister Alan Tudge has declined to produce evidence that he ever informed former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull’s office when he transferred a million dollar property raising questions over whether he breached the ministerial code.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has conceded today that Mr Tudge was “late” to update parliament about offloading the $1 million property to his estranged wife in July, 2018.

Under parliamentary rules, Mr Tudge had 28 days to update parliament after the property was transferred on July 5, 2018, but instead took six months before he updated his records in January, 2019.

However, under the ministerial code of conduct, cabinet ministers must also update the Prime Minister’s office on major changes in assets.

News.com.au has put questions to Mr Tudge and the Liberal Party since last Friday over whether or not the requirements were met at the time and for evidence that the paperwork was lodged.

In response, Mr Tudge has not provided any documents and Mr Turnbull’s office said it had no records or recollections that this ever occurred.

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA NewsWire Photos AUGUST 04, 2021: Minister Education and Youth Alan Tudge during a press conference in Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

What seems to have happened is that Mr Tudge updated his records after the leadership change on August 24, 2018.

“Mr Tudge acknowledges that in 2019 he was late in updating his interests to the House following his separation from his wife,’’ a Liberal campaign spokesman said.

“Mr Tudge acknowledges the importance of updating the register in a timely manner.”

The statement does not stipulate if Mr Tudge updated the register as required by August 1, 2018, within 28 days of the property transfer.

Asked if Mr Tudge was in breach of the ministerial guidelines the Prime Minister insisted he was not in breach of the ministerial code.

“No, he’s not,’’ he said.

“He updated those arrangements consistent with the code. They were late on the other registers. He is in compliance.”

Earlier, government sources confirmed that ministers provided a declaration of private interests to the Prime Minister following the change of leader in 2018.

However, Mr Morrison’s office insists the Prime Minister does not hold declarations that may have been made to previous prime ministers.

The questions over the ministerial code emerged amid calls to “free Education Minister Alan Tudge from detention” and let him loose on the election campaign to debate “values” in schools.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has conceded Mr Tudge was ‘late’ to register the transfer, but insists he was not in breach of the Ministerial code. Picture: Jason Edwards

Former editor-in-chief of The Australian newspaper Chris Mitchell has called today for Mr Tudge to emerge from his self-imposed campaign exile.

Mr Tudge has voluntarily asked to stand aside from the ministry during the election but the Prime Minister insists he’s welcome to return if he chooses to do so.

“Freeing Education Minister Alan Tudge from detention might create media blowback but many voters have been shielded from the truth of his relationship with a former staffer because the left media has refused to publish both sides of the story,’’ Mitchell said.

“Many women would be surprised to read the texts published in The Australian by Janet Albrechtsen on March 4.”

In that article, texts that the former staffer, Rachelle Miller sent to Mr Tudge’s private mobile phone were provided to illustrate that she pursued him sexually and told him that she loved him.

“I was with you because I liked you,” Ms Miller wrote in one email.

“Why won’t you see me? ­Because you are afraid you will once again grab me and take me to your bedroom?

“Maybe that is what we need to do, Alan, it was enjoyable. And where does this lead us?

Mr Tudge said he told Ms Thom that Ms ­Miller continued to pursue him, sexually, after the night in Kalgoorlie where she accused him of kicking her out of bed - claims he denied.

In a message to Mr Tudge on March 12, 2020, seen by The Weekend Australian, Ms Miller made it clear that their liaison was consensual: “Why should it matter to a potential employer who I had a personal relationship with? We broke no rules, it was consensual, we were never together at work or during work hours.”

Federal member of parliament Alan Tudge arrives at the 2017 Midwinter Ball in the company of Liberal staffer Rachelle Miller who he was having an affair with. Picture: ABC/Four Corners

On March 13, 2020, Ms Miller texted Mr Tudge: “I apologise for the things I’ve said to you. I have not been nice, and I am sad and hurt. I want to believe you don’t deserve me. But you know that I love you.”

On March 25, 2020, Ms Miller wrote: “Know you don’t feel the same, and so I have said awful things because I was hurt … After that last night together, it shattered me. I simply miss you.”

Ms Miller has never stated the relationship was not consensual. She has said it was toxic and emotionally abusive - claims Mr Tudge denies.

Writing in The Australian, Chris Mitchell said that Mr Tudge should now be allowed to prosecute education reforms despite his dalliance, citing the example of Bob Hawke, who was accused in a recent biographer of being a womaniser but was also a great Prime Minister.

“Taking a leaf from (Tanya) Plibersek’s assessment of (Bob) Hawke’s flaws, Tudge could campaign on his national curriculum reforms,’’ he said.

Originally published as ‘Late’: Prime Minister’s admission over Alan Tudge’s property disclosure