Kerryn Phelps admits talks with Malcolm Turnbull and help from his staff

Independent MP Kerryn Phelps confirms discussions with former PM Malcolm Turnbull and that more than one of his staff had assisted her.

Kerryn Phelps and Malcom Turnbull have spoken.

Independent Kerryn Phelps says she has “not really” talked to Malcolm Turnbull about matters other than the Wentworth electorate and confirmed more than one of the former prime minister’s staffers came in to instruct her office in a “handover.”

The Australian revealed today that the crossbench MP and the former prime minister have been in regular contact and that staff were involved in a handover, raising concerns among Liberal MPs about Mr Turnbull’s support for the independent.

“Of course I have (been in contact with Mr Turnbull). He is the former member for Wentworth and wants to make sure there’s an orderly handover,” Dr Phelps told Sky News.

.@drkerrynphelps has confirmed she has been in contact with @TurnbullMalcolm since becoming the member for Wentworth.

'Of course I have. He is the former member for Wentworth and wants to make sure there's an orderly handover.

MORE: https://t.co/2X7LH9POfb #AMagenda pic.twitter.com/SfotE0iofO

— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) November 28, 2018

But Dr Phelps said that she and Mr Turnbull had “not really” discussed any matters other than electorate issues.

“Oh no, not really. I mean, obviously, there are obviously, people have conversations about, you know, what’s going on in the electorate and things that are of local importance,” she said.

Dr Phelps said they did not discuss Julia Banks or her recent defection from the Liberal Party to the crossbench.

The new Member for Wentworth said a couple of Turnbull staffers lead a handover in her office to help “plug in the phones” and get in contact with local organisations, but there are no members of the former prime minister’s staff in an ongoing role in her office now.

“When you’re setting up an electorate office, and particularly when you don’t have the backing of a political party, you have to gather staff ... you have to plug in the phones,” she said.

“There’s a lot of corporate knowledge there from a long-term member and their staff.

“No former members of Mr Turnbull’s staff are in an ongoing role in my office ... Mr Turnbull enabled a couple of his staff members to come in to instruct my staff members on the changeover.”

Dr Phelps also took a swipe at Scott Morrison, accusing the Prime Minister of “pretty shabby and disrespectful” behaviour for walking out of her maiden speech on Monday.

Dr Phelps, whose October win in Wentworth wiped out the Prime Minister’s parliamentary majority, was giving her first speech after question time when Mr Morrison and other senior frontbenchers left the chamber.

“I thought Scott Morrison walking out of the chamber for my maiden speech was disrespectful to the people of Wentworth,” Dr Phelps said today.

“I thought it was pretty shabby and disrespectful behaviour.”

Newly-elected Independent MP for the seat of Wentworth Kerryn Phelps is congratulated by Josh Frydenberg and fellow Liberal MPs after her maiden speech.

Kerryn Phelps is congratulated by Bill Shorten after her maiden speech.

It is not uncommon for MPs to leave the chamber when question time concludes, but commentators have asked if it was politically wise for Mr Morrison to walk out on a key crossbencher while he is in minority government.

The Prime Minister’s office have been contacted for comment.

Dr Phelps also told how Ms Banks reached out to her before she stunned her party by announcing on Tuesday that he intended to quit and sit on the crossbench.

.@drkerrynphelps: @juliabanksmp reached out to me for consultation about what leaving might look like and I offered her support in her transition to the crossbench. The advice she sought and contact she had with others is a matter for her.

MORE: https://t.co/2X7LH9POfb #AMagenda pic.twitter.com/hn9Ujima2E

— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) November 28, 2018