Australian opposition leader admits sending 'my job is boring' text during committee meeting
Mark Parton, leader of the opposition Liberal Party in the Australian Capital Territory, has admitted sending a private message in which he called his work boring during a hearing, after initially dismissing the allegation as a smear. He denies the message was sent to a sex worker.
An Australian politician has acknowledged sending a text message in which he called his job boring and used an expletive during a committee meeting.
Mark Parton, who leads the opposition Liberal Party in the Australian Capital Territory, spoke to reporters on Thursday about the message that emerged this week. Local media reported that a complaint had alleged Parton sent the message to a sex worker. According to the Canberra Times, Parton wrote "And f**k my job is boring. Wanna swap," along with a picture taken during a committee meeting last month.
On Thursday, Parton said he did send the text but insisted it was not directed at a sex worker. He declined to say who the recipient was, while defending the message by saying he was still holding the government to account. He argued that many people send private messages during sitting days and hearings, and that such notes are not intended for the public realm.
Parton described his communication style as "off-the-cuff larrikin," an Australian expression for someone with an irreverent sense of humour. He also acknowledged that budget estimates hearings are widely seen as boring.
The official complaint has since been dismissed, and Parton has referred the matter to police, alleging harassment. His office, in response to a request from the AFP news agency, shared a recording of Thursday's media conference.
