Andrew Broad 'Sugar Daddy' scandal: Labor calls for details on McCormack and Morrison's handling of incident

Mallee MP Andrew Broad resigned from his position as Assistant Minister to the Deputy PM this month after revelations the married MP met up with a younger woman while at a fruit-growers conference in Hong Kong.

Now the issue has reemerged with more text messages published just after Christmas that appear to suggest Mr Broad was being threatened with exposure if he did not pay $1500 to his Hong Kong companion.

Mr Broad also reportedly offered his resignation to Mr McCormack in early November but he stayed on as a minister until the story became public in mid-December. 

“Based on the information I was provided at the time, I was giving Andrew an opportunity to resolve this private matter with his family,” Mr McCormack said last week.

Riverina Labor candidate Mark Jeffreson has backed opposition frontbencher Anthony Albanese’s call for the public to be given a full account of what Mr McCormack and Prime Minister Scott Morrison knew about the scandal.

“There’s the personal aspect, which I don’t think anyone’s interested in, but there’s the management side of it,” Mr Jeffreson said.

“It’s about how unprepared the government appears to be. They can’t seem to do anything simple and if it’s complex it’s even more difficult for them.

“They have endeavoured to keep (the Andrew Broad scandal) under wraps for as long as they can.” 

New Idea magazine published text messages between Mr Broad and the woman, whom he met through a ‘sugar daddy’ website aimed a finding partners for wealthy older men.

Mr Broad will also not re-contest his seat, leaving Mr McCormack without one of the key MPs who helped him become party leader.

The scandal overshadowed the government’s plan to finish the year on a high note with positive figures in the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook suggesting a surplus and tax cuts.

Riverina Greens candidate Michael Bayles said he had no comment.