01.53 am, Friday February 24 2012

PM's staffer resigns after passing on info

19:50 AEDT Fri Jan 27 2012
VIEWS: 0
| FLOCKS: 0
| comments0 comments so far
Julia Gillard is led to her car. (AAP)
Julia Gillard is led to her car. (AAP)

Also on
Anjelica Houston (TODAY)splashedActress throws water at Fallon will she?Cancer mum's live TV proposal demolishedExplosives take down bridge run overCameraman hit by PM's convoy faking itThings actors do for an Oscar kiss kissThe A to Z of love and dating

The federal coalition has called for an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the resignation of a member of Prime Minister Julia Gillard's media unit.

The news comes after a protest on Thursday by tent embassy supporters that sparked a security scare at a Canberra restaurant.

It also follows claims made on Macquarie Radio by broadcaster Ray Hadley that someone from her office had contacted the tent embassy in Canberra to tell protesters the location of Opposition Leader Tony Abbott, who was with Ms Gillard.

While the media adviser - named as Tony Hodges - did not directly tell tent embassy organisers where Mr Abbott was, the person he did tell passed that information on.

"A member of the Prime Minister's media unit did call another individual yesterday and disclosed the presence of the Opposition Leader at the Lobby restaurant," a spokesperson said in a statement.

"This information was subsequently passed onto a member of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy."

Coalition frontbencher Christopher Pyne said the actions of the staff member were being taken very seriously by the opposition.

"The prime minister should immediately initiate an Australian Federal Police (AFP) inquiry into who the schedule was released to, and for what purpose, and into whoever was involved in the decision to breach the leader of opposition's security," Mr Pyne told AAP.

"The opposition finds it remarkable that the staffer would have acted unilaterally and we believe the prime minister needs to do more than simply scapegoat one staffer."

Mr Pyne said the action also showed the Labor party was obsessed with Mr Abbott.

"What this shows is the government has no ideas worthy to put before the Australian people and it is obsessed in tearing down Tony Abbott," he said.

The prime minister's spokesperson said the staff member did not "in any way" suggest or encourage violence or demonstration.

"Nevertheless, given the circumstances of yesterday's function at the Lobby Restaurant, this action was an error of judgment," the spokesperson said.

"As such the staff member's resignation has been accepted."

Comments made on Thursday by Mr Abbott sparked a protest by Aboriginal activists who bailed up him and Ms Gillard in a restaurant near the tent embassy, which was set up outside Old Parliament House 40 years ago.

The protesters believed Mr Abbott had suggested it was time to move on from the embassy.

In extraordinary scenes, the coalition leader and Ms Gillard were forced to run a gauntlet of protesters after police and security feared for their safety and advised them to leave the venue.

 
Political hit VIDEO: Cameraman run over by car in PM's convoy. Heartwarming VIDEO: Boyfriend proposes to cancer mum on live TV. Fiery end VIDEO: Ohio bridge taken down with explosives. Life imitates art VIDEO: Actor channels character, chucks water at host. Undercover bossPublic grilling VIDEO: Undercover CEO scolds cocky manager. Katy Perry (AAP)Inside look PHOTOS: Katy Perry selling her New York apartment.

Most popular

 Nine reporter sits next to Rudd on planeNine News US correspondent Denham Hitchcock, who has been chasing Kevin Rudd for days, got a lucky break when he was seated next to him on a flight.
 Mum 'shocked' by daughter's obese ratingA Melbourne woman says she thought she was a bad mother after being told her healthy looking four-year-old daughter was "obese" during a routine check-up.
 Rudd daughter flies home for family chatKevin Rudd's daughter Jessica is flying home from Beijing for a family meeting about whether her father should have another crack at the PM gig.
 Shot boy, 8, comforts mother, doesn't cryAn eight-year-old New York boy shot in the shoulder when an armed cyclist fired into a shopfront did not cry and comforted his mother despite his injury.
 Teen lifts car weighing over 900kg off grandadA Michigan teenager has put on a display of superhuman strength, lifting a car weighing more than 900kg that had fallen on top of his grandfather.
 Sydney shark discovery 'kept secret'NSW Fisheries staff were ordered not to tell the public a two-metre bull shark was caught in Sydney's south, despite public safety concerns.
 Sydney adult shop destroyed by fireA lunchtime fire has gutted an adult shop in Sydney's Darlinghurst and led to the evacuation of 50 people from the premises and adjacent buildings.
 'Rude' reporter apologises to GillardA reporter from The Australian newspaper who was sharply rebuked by Prime Minister Julia Gillard for being "rude" at a press conference this morning has apologised for his behaviour.
 Smith coy on agenda behind Gillard backersDefence Minister Stephen Smith has sidestepped claims senior Labor figures would rather lose the next election than bring back Kevin Rudd.
 Rudd a top foreign minister: CanadaKevin Rudd was one of the best foreign ministers, his Canadian counterpart John Baird says.
advertisement
Be our fan on Facebook
Most Recommended
You need the latest version of Flash Player.
Enjoy the most vivid content on the web
Watch video without extra features
Interact with applications on your favourite sites
Upgrade now

page complete