Aged Care Minister Ken Wyatt is refusing to comment on accusations he threatened to quit parliament to protect a staff member at the centre of bullying allegations.
Several staff in the West Australian office of the minister have alleged he refused to refer allegations of bullying by a senior female staffer to the Department of Finance, despite being asked to do so by Malcolm Turnbull.
Mr Wyatt finally agreed to the direction the day before Mr Turnbull lost his job as prime minister but told several employees his political future hinged on the outcome, according to News Corp reports.
"I instigated the investigation after claims of bullying within my office were raised with me because I take all such claims extremely seriously," the minister told AAP on Sunday.
"However, as there is an independent inquiry underway by the Department of Finance, there will be no further comment."
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