Former NSW Tourism Minister Matt Brown denies simulated sex act

A report in The Australian and by AAP says that former NSW Tourism Minister and very recently appointed Police Minister Matt Brown admits to behaviour “not befitting a minister” but yesterday denied simulating a sex act with a fellow MP.

The morning after he resigned after just three days in the role, the shell-shocked MP for Kiama addressed the “appalling, offensive allegations”.

“There have been some scurrilous accusations about inappropriate behaviour regarding a female work colleague,” Mr Brown said. “I want to state categorically they are lies, they are not true.”  â€œThey did not happen.”

A witness had told The Australian that at a party in his office three months ago Mr Brown stripped down to his “very brief” underpants and danced to loud “Oxford Street-style” techno music on a green leather Chesterfield couch.

Premier Nathan Rees last night forced Mr Brown to resign following a tense conversation over appropriate ministerial behaviour.

Mr Brown appeared yesterday at an outdoors press conference surrounded by friends and family, who he hugged and publicly thanked for their support.

“I’m a human being and I made a mistake and I am going to cop the consequences,” he said. “As is the tradition in parliament, work colleagues get together and celebrate the budget.“

“During that celebratory night, I behaved in a manner not befitting a minister.”

“I am not wanting to duck or weave this issue.”  

“As you can imagine this is a pretty tough day for me.”

Mr Brown refused to answer any questions from the large media contingent.

“You can see here in this community I treat people with respect, I would never treat anyone, let alone a female work colleague, as some people are suggesting.“

“Why they are suggesting it I don’t know.”  

“They are appalling, offensive allegations and I reject them.”

Mr Brown said there had been some confusion how candid he had been with the Premier during his conversations with Mr Rees last night.

“When I met the Premier face to face, I spoke to him and said, `I did behave in a manner not befitting a minister.’ I did not go into the specifics of the night because, quite frankly, I was embarrassed.”

Mr Rees today said he would have been willing to support Mr Brown if he had been honest about the “bitterly disappointing” allegations, but after he misled him, “the situation was beyond that”.

He said Mr Brown yesterday told him “nothing untoward” had occurred at the post-budget party in his office, but dozens of differing stories emerged last night after he made 20 to 30 phone calls.

“I subsequently heard too many differing reports and I took it upon myself to directly ring people who’d been present during the course of the evening and a very different picture emerged,” Mr Rees told Fairfax Radio Network.

“I subsequently put it to former minister Brown late last night that there were too many reports of you in your underwear for me to ignore.”

“He conceded he’d been in his underwear and that gave me no option but to demand his resignation.”

A Report by The Mole and AAP