Liberal Stuart Robert accused of helping lobbyists while on government backbench
Stuart Robert #StuartRobert
Coalition MP Stuart Robert is being accused of using his former position as a government backbencher to help a Canberra lobbying firm.
The Nine newspapers have published leaked emails suggesting Mr Robert, a Queensland Liberal MP, secretly gave advice to Synergy 360 in 2017 and 2018 and helped the company meet senior political figures.
At the time, Mr Robert sat on the backbench, having lost his frontbench position in 2016.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Mr Robert said he completely denied the allegations.
The allegations do not constitute any illegal conduct.
Mr Robert is a close political ally of Scott Morrison.
He was promoted to the frontbench when Mr Morrison became prime minister in 2018, later serving in his cabinet after the 2019 federal election.
The Nine papers claim to have obtained a cache of emails in which it is alleged Mr Robert introduced Synergy 360 to overseas officials and businessmen who he met as a MP.
Nine does not suggest Mr Robert was an employee of Synergy 360 or paid by the organisation.