An investigation into former cabinet minister Alan Tudge has found he did not breach ministerial standards over allegations he was “abusive” during an extramarital affair with his former adviser Rachelle Miller.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday afternoon announced the inquiry, conducted by former public servant Dr Vivienne Thom and launched last December, had concluded its investigation.
“Dr Thom found that ‘the evidence considered in this Inquiry does not provide a basis for finding that Mr Tudge’s conduct breached the Ministerial Standards’. I have accepted her advice,” Mr Morrison said in statement.
Mr Tudge, who has denied the allegations against him, stepped down from his position in the cabinet as education minister while the inquiry was held.
He has now informed Mr Morrison he will not seek to return to the cabinet.
“He is not seeking to return to the frontbench and I support his decision,” Mr Morrison said.
Ms Miller had publicly alleged on 2 December her relationship with Mr Tudge had been based on a “significant power imbalance”, which she said had been “emotionally and on one occasion physically abusive”.
During a press conference conducted at Parliament House, Ms Miller had recalled how during a work trip to Kalgoorlie with then-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, Mr Tudge had encouraged her to get a drink at the bar where the pair “drank a lot until very late” in the evening.
She said she later woke up — naked in a bed with Mr Tudge — to a 4am phone call, where she alleged he began kicking her on the side of the leg telling her to “get the f*** out” until she “fell off” onto the floor.
Ms Miller chose not to participate in the inquiry but Mr Morrison said the investigation had drawn on her public statements.
Both her and Mr Tudge were provided with a full copy of the report.
The report's findings said that it did not recommend the evidence considered in this inquiry provided "a basis for a finding that Mr Tudge's conduct has breached the Ministerial Standards".
In making this recommendation it noted the review was "limited by Ms Miller's decision not to participate".
It also said "the Ministerial Standards do not specifically address broader integrity and conflict of interest issues that can be a consequences of relationships that do not amount to ongoing or family relationships".
The inquiry had investigated allegations that Ms Miller had suffered bullying and harassment by Mr Tudge, but said there was "insufficient evidence to support a finding on the balance of probabilities".
It also addressed allegations Mr Tudge was emotionally abusive to her, and physically abusive during their work trip to Kalgoorlie, stating there was insufficient evidence in respect to these claims.
In a statement, Mr Tudge said he welcomed the findings of Dr Thom's inquiry, which he said found none of Ms Miller's allegations against him for the alleged events in 2017 were substantiated.
Mr Tudge said despite Dr Thom's findings, he had requested not to return to the front bench before the election "given the impact of the allegations on my family and myself".
He intends to recontest his seat of Aston in Melbourne's east at this year's election.
Stuart Robert will continue in his role as acting education minister.
