Alan Tudge cleared of allegations he abused ex-staffer Rachelle Miller, but won’t return to cabinet

A report into allegations Alan Tudge emotionally and physically abused a former staffer has found he did not breach ministerial standards.

Alan Tudge arrives at the 2017 Midwinter Ball in the company of Liberal staffer Rachelle Miller.

A report into allegations that stood-down Education Minister Alan Tudge emotionally and physically abused his former staffer ­Rachelle Miller has found “insufficient evidence” to substantiate the claims.

But the Victorian MP has quit the frontbench “in the interests of his family and his own wellbeing”, and to focus on getting re-elected in his Melbourne seat of Aston.

Ms Miller alleged in December that Mr Tudge had abused her emotionally during their consensual affair in 2017 and on one ­occasion was physically abusive after the pair went home together and she woke up naked in bed with the minister.

Mr Tudge strenuously denied the allegations.

In response to Ms Miller’s claims, Scott Morrison tasked former inspector-general of intelligence and security Vivienne Thom to investigate the matter and stood down Mr Tudge from the frontbench until it was finished.

Dr Thom’s report was released by the Prime Minister’s office on Friday afternoon, but found no “basis” that Mr Tudge’s conduct breached ministerial standards.

The report included evidence from Mr Tudge, but not from Ms Miller, who refused to participate in the inquiry because of concerns that its terms of reference did not adequately allow for allegations of a possible criminal nature to be ­investigated.

Mr Tudge claimed in his ­evidence that the pair were never in a relationship and while they were “intimate” on four occasions, they never had sex.

While Ms Miller’s allegations were not substantiated, Mr Tudge told the Prime Minister he did not want to return to cabinet.

Rachelle Miller holds a press conference at Parliament House in December. Picture: Martin Ollman

“Today he has informed me that in the interests of his family and his own wellbeing and in order to focus on his re-election as the member for Aston he is not seeking to return to the frontbench, and I support his decision,” Mr Morrison said.

It follows numerous members of the Liberal Party expressing concern over Mr Tudge’s return to the ministry.

“It (Tudge’s return) might not be in anyone’s interest,” one Liberal senator told The Australian last month.

Another said it was not tenable for him to return to the frontbench ahead of the election ­expected in May.

However, other Liberals were more concerned with the possibility of Mr Tudge being stood down even if Ms Miller’s claims were found “baseless”.

“He (the Prime Minister) is damned no matter what he does,” another Liberal senator said.

The government has faced a series of scandals regarding the treatment of women, such as allegations from an ex-Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins that she was raped in parliament in 2019 by a colleague in the office of her then-boss Linda Reynolds.

Another former minister, Christian Porter, also faced allegations that he raped a young woman when he was a teenager on an interstate debating tournament in the 80s.

Mr Porter has denied the allegations and has since announced he will retire from politics.

Concern over how the scandals will affect the female vote has been raised ahead of the upcoming election.

Skills and Employment Minister Stuart Robert, who has been acting in Mr Tudge’s place since December, will retain the education portfolio.