Home Affairs Minister can’t condemn ALP MP’s explosive texts

Peter Dutton defends Labor MP Anthony Byrne’s private foul-mouthed texts and praises his work on counter-terrorism policy.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton in Question Time at Parliament House in Canberra this week.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has launched a defence of embattled Labor MP Anthony Byrne, praising his work on counter-terrorism policy and refusing to condemn his explosive texts attacking ALP colleagues and female staffers.

The Australian revealed on Friday more text messages from Mr Bryne show him calling former Labor political adviser Jamila Rizvi an “awful piece of work”, while calling another female Labor operative a “ratf … ker”.

Mr Dutton said on Friday that he liked Mr Byrne and every adult Australian had used “bad language.”

“I think he has done a great job in the intelligence committee. He has a sensible perspective in dealing with counter-terrorism laws,” he told the Nine Network. “He is a subject matter expert and he has done very well in that committee.

“Frankly, I’m not going to criticise him for the language. It was a private text message. If you can say hand-on-heart ... that you haven’t used bad language in private, good luck to you but that’s not the reality for most adult Australians.”

Scott Morrison has called Mr Byrne’s hold on the powerful position of deputy chairman of Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security a test for Anthony Albanese, after the bugging of the Labor MP’s office led to the downfall of ALP powerbroker Adem Somyurek.

Deputy Committee Chair Anthony Byrne during a hearing of parliamentary intelligence and security committee at Parliament House in Canberra last September.

But government MPs have largely resisted attacking Mr Byrne directly because of his hawkish security views and co-operation on a host of recent counter-terrorism and foreign interference reforms.

With the Eden-Monaro by-election only two weeks away, Anthony Albanese said the matter had been dealt with, as he had “counselled” Mr Bryne on his “inappropriate” language.

“We have dealt with it. He is the deputy chair and the chair, Andrew Hastie, the Liberal Party chair gave him a glowing character reference just this week,” Mr Albanese told television program Sunrise on Seven.

“We have acted swiftly and what I am doing is getting on with the jobs of issues that are of concern to Australians.”

Deputy Opposition Leader Richard Marles also backed Mr Byrne to stay on at the helm of the PJCIS, but admitted it had been a “devastating week” for the Labor Party.

“Horror week is a pretty good description. It’s been, particularly as a member of the Victorian Labor Party, it’s been a devastating week really,” he said. 

“Albo has spoken with Anthony about that language. I’m not about to defend it. But let me say this about Anthony Byrne: Anthony has been a wonderful servant of his community and of Labor throughout his career.

“I absolutely think that Anthony Byrne has a very important role to continue to play in politics.”