Labor leader Anthony Albanese has broken his silence on explosive text messages from a federal Labor MP embroiled in the Victorian branch stacking scandal.
In leaked text-messages, Labor MP Anthony Byrne described Sam Dastyari as “crooked”, said Bill Shorten “makes me sick to my stomach with his ingratitude” and hoped for Daniel Andrews’ “political death warrant”.
Addressing the media outside Parliament on Thursday, Mr Albanese said “these comments are completely unacceptable and inappropriate”.
“I’ve counselled Mr Byrne about his language and the inappropriateness of those comments,” he said.
However Mr Albanese said he had no intention of stripping Mr Byrne of his Deputy Chair position on the parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee.
Labor MP Anthony Byrne was embroiled in this week’s branch-stacking scandal after it was revealed his electoral office was used to record the extensive backroom dealings of disgraced former Victorian minister Adem Somyurek.
Image: News Corp Australia
