Labor claims national security risk over PM’s friend’s QAnon ties

The Four Corners episode reported Mr Stewart claimed he would ask the PM to include a QAnon-linked phrase about child sexual abuse in a speech to Parliament.

Mr Morrison used the phrase “ritual abuse” in an apology to victims of child sexual abuse, but there is no evidence it was at Mr Stewart’s urging.

“We have a Prime Minister in clear communication with a QAnon conspiracy theorist and the word suggested by that theorist making a speech, a most important speech by the Prime Minister in Parliament,” Mr Bowen said. “That is of deep concern to us.”

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham said Mr Morrison rejected any association with the conspiracy movement.

“The Prime Minister’s made it very clear that he sees QAnon as being a discredited and dangerous fringe group,” he told ABC radio.

“I can assure all listeners that the first, primary and most important source of advice on security matters the Prime Minister takes is from Australia’s national security agencies.”

Mr Morrison’s office said the episode had peddled “baseless conspiracy theories”.