Somyurek sacked over language - Albanese just counsels Anthony Byrne for same thing
Thursday, 18 June 2020
Federal Labor leader @AlboMP has counselled one of his colleagues over explicit text messages, leaked in the wake of the branch-stacking scandal. @olivialeeming #auspol #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/EPg17qvTc1
— 7NEWS Australia (@7NewsAustralia) June 18, 2020
Anthony Albanese has “counselled” embattled Labor MP Anthony Byrne over his explosive texts attacking party colleagues and sought assurances he acted legally, following the bugging of his office.
The Australian revealed last night that Mr Byrne has discussed the possible “decapitation” of a former Labor MP, savaged Bill Shorten as a disloyal and ungrateful private schoolboy, and wished for Daniel Andrews’s “political death”.
Scott Morrison used the explosive texts to launch a spectacular attack on the Labor Party, labelling the Victorian branch-stacking scandal corrupt and linking the current civil war in the ALP to the 10-year anniversary of Julia Gillard’s push against Kevin Rudd’s prime ministership.
The Opposition Leader said on Thursday morning that Mr Byrne’s texts were unacceptable, but backed him to remain the deputy chairman of the parliament’s powerful security committee.
“I sought an assurance from him that he had advice — which he has — that he acted legally at all times,” Mr Albanese said in Canberra.
“He also assured me he was offering full cooperation with IBAC and the Victorian Police inquiry. These comments are completely unacceptable and inappropriate. And I’ve counselled Mr Byrne about his language and the inappropriateness of those comments.”
When asked if Mr Byrne should stay as the deputy chair of the joint parliamentary committee on security and intelligence, Mr Albanese praised his work and said: “He is the deputy chair”.
Federal Labor MP Anthony Byrne also attacked one former NSW powerbroker as a “crooked, corrupt f..k’’ and dismissed his federal colleagues as lacking the “judgment, understanding and intelligence’’ of ousted Victorian minister Adem Somyurek.
Among dozens of text messages sent by Mr Byrne to his longtime friend Mr Somyurek over a two-year period, the federal MP describes a female Labor figure as a “ratf..ker’’.
In other texts, Mr Byrne threatens to “dynamite’’ Left-faction attempts to recruit Afghans and asks Mr Somyurek to meet an “Indian kid’’ who “clearly can recruit’’.
The Prime Minister told Sydney’s 2GB radio — using Mr Byrne’s own words — that the conduct in the branch stacking scandal was corrupt and accused Mr Albanese of losing control of his party.
“What this is was described by Anthony Byrne himself as corruption ... this has gone to corruption, this is what Anthony Byrne,” he said.
“It’s 10 years since the Julia Gillard-Kevin Rudd blowup here in Canberra and ten years later, they’re still doing it. They haven’t changed, they’re still doing it.”