Ray Hadley grills Peter Dutton on rogue MP George Christensen

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has responded to explosive allegations against a former Nationals MP deemed a “blackmail risk”.

Peter Dutton has defended his decision not to publicise advice that former Nationals MP George Christensen was a blackmail risk.

A 2018 letter – recently obtained through freedom of information – addressed to the then home affairs minister reveals federal police believed Mr Christensen’s travel was a security risk.

Mr Christensen is not accused of any wrongdoing; however, a source quoted in the letter alleged Mr Christensen engaged in “improper conduct” on his numerous trips to Southeast Asia that potentially contravened Australian law.

The report found he “engaged in activities that could potentially place him at risk of being targeted for compromise by foreign interests”.

Mr Christensen spent 294 days in the Philippines between 2014-2018.

Mr Dutton said Mr Christensen, who was dumped from parliament at the last election after defecting to One Nation, had “moved on” from parliament and so should everybody else.

Former Nationals MP George Christensen was deemed a blackmail risk by the AFP. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

“I received confidential briefings in relation to very sensitive matters, in relation to members of parliament (while home affairs minister),” Mr Dutton told Nine Radio.

“I’ve never broken the confidence of that relationship with the commissioners I’ve dealt with, and I won’t.

“I wouldn’t expect the Home Affairs Minister today to do that either.”

Then home affairs minister Peter Dutton did not reveal that the MP was a blackmail risk. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

A day earlier, Nationals leader David Littleproud attempted to distance himself from his former colleague.

“George Christensen has never been a mate of mine, and it’s a good thing he’s not in the parliament,” Mr Littleproud said on Wednesday.

“I think obviously there are national security issues at play here; I wasn’t privy to those, but I do know there were strong conversations had subsequent to George about his travel movements.

“I know that they were curtailed.”