In another damaging leak for Labor, sources have told The Weekend Australian that when Ms Gillard was deputy prime minister she regularly failed to attend cabinet's national security committee meetings.
It's reported that she sent staffer Andrew Stark in her place.
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A spokesman for Ms Gillard told the newspaper cabinet confidentiality meant she could not defend herself against the allegations.
Former coalition foreign minister Alexander Downer said Ms Gillard's reported behaviour was scandalous.
"The NSC takes decisions on life and death and is no place for a junior staffer," he told The Weekend Australian.
"Such actions are scandalous."
