The attorney general has approved legal assistance for Anthony Albanese and Bill Shorten in relation to defamation threats by a business associate of the former Liberal minister Stuart Robert.
On 12 August Mark Dreyfus approved assistance “in relation to a defamation claim” made against the prime minister on 23 July and for defamation claims on 23 and 25 July against Shorten, the government services and national disability insurance scheme minister, according to documents tabled to parliament.
Guardian Australia understands that both relate to concerns notices sent by lawyers acting for the businessman John Margerison.
Guardian Australia has not seen the defamation concerns notices sent to Albanese and Shorten and it is not known what statements they relate to.
The approvals cover their legal costs, any damages or costs that may be awarded against them, and a “reasonable amount” to settle proceedings.
Dreyfus wrote that in both cases he was “satisfied the proceedings relate to the actual or alleged performance … of the applicant’s ministerial duties and the applicant acted reasonably and responsibly in relation to the matter”.
The approval of taxpayer-funded legal assistance follows the revelation in parliament on 12 August that Margerison had sent concerns notices to the Labor MP Julian Hill. Hill told parliament the concerns notice related to “a number of publications, including an official media release” of the audit committee “and a video of me answering a question in question time” and tabled what he said were “copies of the publications” named in the concerns notice.
On 14 August that issue was referred by the House of Representatives to the privileges committee, to assess Hill’s claim it could amount to a contempt of parliament.
In November 2022 Shorten asked Services Australia and the National Disability Insurance Agency to investigate allegations that Robert had provided private advice to a lobbying firm pursuing lucrative government contracts.
Last year the audit committee heard allegations that the lobbying firm Synergy 360 proposed a structure that would benefit Robert financially, including a plan to transfer shares to United Marketing, a company controlled by Margerison.
Robert has rejected the allegation “in the strongest possible terms” and said there was “zero evidence” for it. He said he had “never part-owned any company that ever received anything from Synergy 360”. He has denied any wrongdoing and said that departmental procurement was conducted with the “highest levels of probity”.
Lawyers representing Robert have described the release of the allegations as “egregious” and an “abuse of privilege”.
In September the audit committee recommended the matter be referred to the National Anti-Corruption Commission for consideration. At that time Hill noted that Robert, “his longtime friend, business partner and political fundraiser” Margerison and others “strongly deny any improper conduct”.
The Nacc has not made any public comment on the referrals.
Guardian Australia contacted Albanese, Shorten and lawyers acting for Margerison in the Hill matter for comment.
