Scott Morrison emphatically rejected claims he made negative remarks about the 'Lebanese background' of his opponent in the 2007 preselection process for the seat of Cook.
A former director of the NSW Liberal Party, Mr Morrison replaced Michael Towke as the Liberal Party's candidate for Cook. Mr Towke had won preselection in July 2007, but was disendorsed in early August after an anonymous faxed-in ballot by the 22 members of the party's State Executive.
The allegation against Mr Morrison has emerged in two statutory declarations signed in 2016 by two people involved in the 2007 preselection battle: Michael Towke and Scott Chapman.
According to the Saturday Paper, the statutory declaration by Mr Chapman revealed his exchange in a meeting requested by Mr Morrison ahead of the ballot.
"Scott Morrison told me that if Michael Towke were to be preselected, there would be a 'swing against the Liberal Party in Cook', because of Mr Towke's Lebanese background," the declaration read.
"Also during that meeting, Scott Morrison informed me that there was a strong rumour about that 'Michael Towke is actually a Moslem' [sic]."
Mr Towke in his statutory declaration said that local preselection candidates had relayed to him what Mr Morrison had told them to try and win their support in the ballot.
"They informed me that Morrison was appealing with them to not support me based solely on the rationale that my family heritage was Lebanese. He was adamant and explicit that a candidate of Lebanese heritage could not hold the seat of Cook, especially after the Cronulla riots."
The in the seat of Cook erupted on 11 December when thousands were incited to target people of 'Middle Eastern appearance'. Two days of rioting ensued, resulting in dozens of injuries.
The documents were not used in the defamation case Michael Towke brought against News Corp Australia, which was settled in 2009 and resulted in the company paying him $50,000.
Mr Morrison three times said "no" to questions from reporters at media conference on Saturday who had asked whether he had made a point of Mr Towke's Lebanese background during the 2007 preselection; and specifically whether he had claimed the seat of Cook could be lost if voters mistakenly believed Mr Towke is a Muslim. Mr Towke is in fact a Catholic.
On Tuesday, under parliamentary privilege outgoing Liberal senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells told the Senate she had lost preselection by a handful of votes - and she criticised what she called Mr Morrison's "manipulative skills" in preselection contests over the years.
She said she was well acquainted with what happened to Mr Towke, who joined her staff after the 2007 preselection. She also referenced the statutory declarations.
"Morrison, his cronies and the Liberal establishment in New South Wales had destroyed a good, young man. I regret the day that [former Liberal Party MP David] Clarke and I agreed to put Morrison into Cook.
"Since then Morrison has never faced a preselection. Hence the trampling of members' rights in New South Wales. Denying them proper preselections and installing captain's picks is classic Morrison."
Other female senators have come forward this week with claims of bullying by Mr Morrison after Ms Fierravanti-Wells remarks, with describing Mr Morrison as "unpleasant" and a "bully".
Government ministers have dismissed Ms Fierravanti-Wells' remarks as "sour grapes".
Defence Minister Peter Dutton told ABC RN Breakfast on Friday that the focus should not be on the negative remarks.
"Connie is a friend of 20 years and I respect her very much but I don't agree with what she has had to say in relation to the Prime Minister," he said.
"And I don't want Connie to be remembered for this speech. I want her to be remembered for her passion and for the way in which she has spent a lifetime in parliament fighting for causes that she believes in very strongly."
Labor leader Anthony Albanese said people will have to make their own judgments on the Prime Minister's character.
"These reports join other reports from within the Prime Minister's own party; whether it's the former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, his current Deputy Prime Minister, Barnaby Joyce, the comments that have been made by Gladys Berejiklian, the former Premier of New South Wales, the comments this week of Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, but also crossbenchers like Pauline Hanson and Jacqui Lambie.
"There is a theme come through about the Prime Minister's character and I'll leave other people to look at those comments and make their own judgments."
Mr Albanese has been under pressure to address allegations of bullying committed against the late Senator Kimberley Kitching by colleagues Penny Wong, Kristina Keneally and Katy Gallagher - all of whom have denied the claims.
"This is on his watch, this only happened weeks ago and he can’t duck and run on this,” Mr Morrison said on 20 March.
“The campaign hasn't even begun and already when he gets a hard question, he goes running.”
SBS News has contacted the Prime Minister's Office for comment.
