The man who has alleged Scott Morrison was involved in a campaign of "racial vilification" against him in a 2007 preselection battle claims he has since received text messages of support from a current cabinet minister.
Michael Towke claimed a minister has texted him to say "I believe you" and "do what you need to do, just be careful" during an interview with Network 10's The Project on Wednesday following allegations that emerged over the weekend.
Mr Towke was in the running to become Liberal candidate for the seat of Cook, before he was disendorsed and replaced by Mr Morrison who went on to win the seat at the 2007 federal election.
He claimed, in a newspaper interview last weekend, that Mr Morrison was "adamant and explicit that a candidate of Lebanese heritage" could not hold the seat of Cook, "especially after the Cronulla riots".
Mr Morrison has repeatedly and emphatically denied the allegations after the details were revealed publicly on Saturday in the Saturday Paper.
In his interview with The Project, Mr Towke now says he has received messages of support from a current cabinet minister.
"I've got text messages from a cabinet minister telling me, 'I believe you' and 'do what you need to do, just be careful'," he said on Wednesday night, later clarifying he was referring to a current minister.
Mr Towke did not reveal who the minister was.
"This person sent me a text message, and it’s like, ‘Hey, Michael, this is XYZ – obviously in confidence along those lines – just want you to know I believe you, do what you feel you need to do, just be careful’."
Host Waleed Aly said he has not seen the text messages himself, but that he had seen some of the related background.
The Prime Minister's Office has been contacted by SBS News for comment.
The Project said the PMO was contacted but declined to comment, saying Mr Morrison had already answered the allegations.
He has previously called the allegations "malicious slurs" following repeated questioning from journalists in recent days.
Mr Towke told Nine newspapers in an interview published on Sunday that he completely stands behind that detailed the alleged tactics used by Mr Morrison to win support in a second ballot to decide the preselection candidate.
"[Scott Morrison] was adamant and explicit that a candidate of Lebanese heritage could not hold the seat of Cook, especially after the Cronulla riots," he told The Sun-Herald and The Sunday Age mastheads.
In his interview with Nine newspapers, Mr Towke said Mr Morrison was "front and centre" of a racial vilification campaign targeting him.
“Amongst many unedifying tactics used to unseat me from my preselection victory for Morrison, racial vilification was front and centre and he was directly involved," he said.
Mr Towke repeated his previous allegation on Wednesday.
"I had moved on, I have moved on, but the more that this is unfolding, and just watching the prime minister's very non-credible responses, I've chosen now to not remain silent anymore," he said.
Mr Morrison has faced criticism over his leadership in recent days, including from NSW Liberal MP Catherine Cusack, who
Last week, Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells , made after she had been relegated to an unwinnable spot on the NSW Liberals ticket, also revealing allegations he made "racial comments" when running for preselection in 2007.
But political colleagues have spoken in support of Mr Morrison, who said he completely rejects the allegations of his involvement in a racial vilification campaign.
"There is not a racist bone in Scott Morrison," Mr Frydenberg said on Sunday.
