Federal Labor MP Anthony Byrne texts his disdain for Labor women

The vitriol that spewed from Anthony Byrne’s mobile knew no bounds as Jamila Rizvi discovered | READ THE TEXTS

Jamila Rizvi featured in a text message exchange between Adem Somyurek and Anthony Byrne.

The vitriol that spewed forth from Labor MP Anthony­ ­Byrne’s ­mobile phone knew no bounds.

Parliamentary rivals and ­colleagues were not the only ones in the crosshairs; political staffers such as Jamila Rizvi were also fair game.

Just a day after a series of graphic and derogatory messages written by the federal MP about his political colleagues was published, a fresh batch of texts penned by Mr Byrne can be revealed.

He attacks Ms Rizvi — who was a former staff member of prime minister Kevin Rudd, and deputy chief-of-staff at the age of just 25 to former federal minister Kate Ellis — despite only having limited dealings with her.

Anthony Byrne. Picture: AAP

“She’s an awful piece of work … she would hate what moderate labor (sic) stood for,” Mr Byrne wrote in a text message to disgraced Victorian Labor powerbroker Adem Somyurek.

The comment was made in the context of discussions between Mr Byrne and Mr Somyurek about Victorian preselections.

Mr Byrne’s swipe at Ms Rizvi has bemused her friends, who queried whether the MP had ever actually dealt with her.

Ms Rizvi departed politics to pursue a career in writing and publishing and has become a successf­ul and high-profile left-wing commentator.

Ms Rizvi says she can’t recall meeting either Mr Byrne or Mr Domyurek.

“About 10 years ago, I worked as an adviser in the Gillard and Rudd government and it turns out that’s enough to have these powerful, well frankly, dudes go after you,” Ms Rizvi told the Briefing Podcast on PodcastOne Australia.

“I have a feeling there are a whole lot more messages that are going to come out between various people in the Australian Labor party using some pretty awful language.”

It is not clear from the texts when Mr Byrne took a shot at Ms Rizvi’s credibility.

But in the same text exchange — seen by The Australian — Mr Byrne attacks former state Labor MP Judith Graley, who survived breast cancer about 15 years ago and retired­ from parliament in 2018.

The member for the ­Melbourne seat of Holt dismisses Ms Graley as a loser, even though she was a popular member of the Labor caucus when she was in parliament.

She was aligned with the right-wing National Union of Workers.

Mr Byrne appears to attack members of the Victorian Left over the quality of the candidates in Melbourne’s southeastern suburbs­, then launches into Ms Graley.

“They are f..king useless. They are rabid lefties, the seat perfect for them,’’ he wrote.

“If they keep putting losers like grayley (sic) into (the state seat of Narre Warren South) we will lose the seat one day.’’

Ms Graley was one of the main campaigners for an overhaul of accommodation in the Victorian parliament amid concerns of a large cancer cluster.

Mr Byrne’s attack­ was made after Ms Graley fell sick.

Her illness was widely known as she campaigned for cancer­-­related causes.

The government has spent tens of millions of dollars on the parliament refurbishment.

On another occasion, Mr Byrne warned Mr Somyurek to keep a close eye on a female Labor operative.

“If she mucks you up I will make sure she guest stars in the next four corners (sic) hatchet job on China. Which I will be on. Watch her, she’s a ratf..ker,’’ Mr Byrne wrote.

While flying with former federal­ Labor leader Bill Shorten, Mr Byrne disparaged a female ALP figure as an alcoholic.

Mr Byrne texted to Mr Somyurek: “On the plane with Bill and the drunk. She’s dribbling shit.’’

The series of texts outline the closeness of the relationship between­ Mr Byrne and Mr Somyurek, illustrating how heavily the federal MP relied on the Victorian powerbroker for advice and polit­ical protection, and his fixation with factional politics.

Mr Byrne’s office did not respond­ to questions from The Australian on Thursday.

Albanese says Byrne won’t face action

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said on Friday that Mr Byrne would not face further consequences.

Mr Albanese said the matter had been dealt with, as he had “counselled” Mr Byrne 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 the Sunrise program. “We have acted swiftly and what I am doing is getting on with the jobs of issues that are of concern to Australians.”

Mr Albanese also reiterated that he was unaware of the industrial scale branch stacking until the story broke on Sunday night.

“I knew nothing about it. I was told there was going to be something on 60 minutes, I watched the show and I met Adem Somyurek, I think once in my life, I have probably been in the same room as him a few times. I’m not familiar with him,” he said.

Additional reporting: Max Maddison