PM’s claim Tudge not linked to $500,000 payout to Rachelle Miller proved false in letter

After repeatedly denying any knowledge of negotiations of a secret $500,000 settlement, one document has seen Scott Morrison’s claims come undone.

Education Minister Alan Tudge is named multiple times in legal correspondence exchanged between lawyers acting for his former press secretary Rachelle Miller and the Department of Finance in relation to a secret $500,000 settlement.

Despite the Prime Minister’s claim that he “would have been told” if the negotiations involved a cabinet minister, news.com.au has confirmed the correspondence names not only Mr Tudge but another former employer Attorney-General Michaelia Cash and former Liberal staffers

Both ministers have categorically denied bullying Ms Miller during her employment.

In a 22-page letter outlining the claim, Ms Miller’s employment with Mr Tudge is canvassed in detail over four pages and her employment in Senator Cash’s office is also discussed at length.

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Rachelle Miller was a Liberal staffer between 2010 to 2018. Picture: ABC.

Mr Tudge has previously confirmed he had an intimate relationship with Ms Miller that did not involve sexual intercourse.

However, the relationship did involve the employer and employee spending time together naked in bed.

The Department of Finance has made no official finding of wrongdoing against any individual and nor has any previous workplace investigation into the matter.

For the first time, the Prime Minister confirmed during a Channel 7 election debate on Wednesday night that the matter was still being negotiated. He has previously claimed the payout was a “private matter”.

A photo from 2017 which shows Alan Tudge arriving to the 2017 Mid-Winter Ball with Rachelle Miller. Picture: ABC/Four Corners.

“First of all this matter I’m advised has not even been settled,’’ Mr Morrison said.

“That’s because these matters go to very private interactions between people and they are handled sensitively. We had an independent inquiry into Alan Tudge.”

Mr Morrison was then asked by Channel 7’s Mark Riley if he really needed an independent inquiry to find out that whether it was right or wrong for a cabinet minister to have a sexual relationship with a staffer.

“Of course, people who have relationships in the office, that’s something I’ve never approved of,’’ the Prime Minister said.

In an interview with Sky News this week, Mr Tudge confirmed he was unaware of the fresh negotiations with the Department of Finance and had never been interviewed or asked to give evidence in relation to the compensation claim.

“As the Prime Minister said, he’s unaware, I’m unaware, it’s a matter for the Department of Finance,’’ Mr Tudge said.

“I’m not aware of any of those things. I have no information. I haven’t been called as a witness. I haven’t been asked to provide evidence. And as the Prime Minister said, if it involved me, he would have been made aware and hasn’t been made aware.”

Education Minister Alan Tudge spoke to the media during a press conference in Parliament House, Canberra. Picture: Gary Ramage/NCA NewsWire

Despite the Prime Minister’s claim it does not involve Mr Tudge, and Mr Tudge’s belief on this basis that the claim does not involve him, correspondence between the parties does name him.

On April 11, the Prime Minister insisted the negotiations involving Ms Miller and the Department of Finance were “private”.

“It’s a private matter involving a sensitive issue, I assume, between Ms Miller and the department of finance,” Mr Morrison said.

“And no one can make any assumptions about any findings because there have been none that have been presented to me which suggests any impropriety on behalf of Mr Tudge. So that is merely speculation. And can’t be confirmed.”

Then, on Sunday, April 17, the Prime Minister asserted for the first time that if the claim involved the conduct of a Minister he would have been told.

“Well, I’m glad you raised that point because if there were any matter that was in the assessment by the Department of Finance that involved the conduct of any Minister whatsoever in the granting of that payment, then that matter would have to be raised with me by the Department of Finance through the Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet,’’ he said.

“Now I can assure you absolutely that no such reference has been made to me. So to imply that would be false, to imply that would be absolutely false, and you would have no basis for doing it.”

Scott Morrison confirmed during Channel 7’s election debate on Wednesday night that the matter was still being negotiated. Picture: Mick Tsikas/Getty Images

No workplace inquiry into Ms Miller’s claims has ever made any findings of wrongdoing against Mr Tudge, Senator Cash, or any other MP or Liberal staffer.

In fact, two previous investigations commissioned by the Morrison government into allegations Ms Miller was bullied during her time as a Liberal staffer have not made findings of wrongdoing against any individual.

Ms Miller declined to participate in the investigations on legal advice.

The first investigation conducted by Spark Helmore was completed a year ago.

As news.com.au revealed at the time, it considered Ms Miller’s complaint about her employment in Mr Tudge’s office and Senator Cash’s office but was not able to substantiate the allegations after the complainant refused to participate on legal advice.

A second investigation commissioned by the Prime Minister and conducted by Vivienne Thom was more narrowly focused on her relationship with Mr Tudge and claims he kicked her out of bed in Kalgoorlie, WA.

Ms Miller again declined to participate on legal advice and the investigation did not make findings against Mr Tudge.

This investigation was released publicly by the Prime Minister and he has subsequently asserted Mr Tudge was “cleared” of the allegations.

Originally published as PM’s claim Tudge not linked to $500,000 payout to Rachelle Miller proved false in letter