Shorten ‘disloyal, ungrateful’, says ALP MP in leaked texts
Text messages have revealed a federal Labor MP linked to the branch-stacking scandal had discussed the political "decapitation" of a colleague and also savaged former federal leader Bill Shorten as a disloyal and ungrateful private schoolboy.
Anthony Byrne also dismissed colleagues as lacking the "judgment, understanding and intelligence'' of ousted Victorian minister Adem Somyurek, among dozens of texts he sent over two years to longtime friend Mr Somyurek.
Mr Byrne, who is also co-operating with police over secret recordings in his office relating to the Victorian branch-stacking scandal, had also wished for the Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews' "political death".
Mr Byrne referred to a former NSW Labor powerbroker as "such a crooked, corrupt f...", and also crudely described as female Labor figure as a "ratf...er''.
Mr Byrne found himself at the centre of a political storm after his electorate office was used to covertly record Mr Somyurek, before his dismissal from the Victoria cabinet.
Mr Byrne yesterday accused Mr Somyurek of cherry picking the text messages.
"Somyurek has selectively released a hand-picked selection of my text messages to him sent over two years just hours after I made a public statement that I had contacted authorities and would assist with their corruption investigations into him,'' he said.
"That speaks for itself".
Originally published as Shorten 'disloyal, ungrateful', says Labor MP in leaked texts
