Queensland colleague cold on Andrew Laming

One of Andrew Laming’s oldest colleagues has repeatedly refused to say whether the embattled backbencher is a man of good character.

Cabinet minister Stuart Robert has served alongside Dr Laming in federal parliament for the past 14 years.

Both men are members of the Liberal Party in Queensland and their electorates are side-by-side.

Dr Laming returned to parliament this week after taking extended medical leave to seek counselling and empathy training.

He has been accused of bullying, harassing and stalking various women over several years, as well as taking an unsolicited photograph of one woman bending over at work while her underwear was exposed.

The unrepentant Bowman MP continues to claim he is the victim and has done nothing wrong.

Mr Robert has been given at least three opportunities to say whether his coalition colleague is a man of good character, and provided a different excuse to avoid the question on each occasion.

He first tried to brush the question aside by referring to a statement Dr Laming released about his behaviour and treatment.

Mr Robert then attempted to argue he was not someone who judged character before observing: “I’m not sure there’d be two friends amongst the place.”

This claim conflicts with Mr Robert’s membership of a coalition prayer group, which includes Prime Minister Scott Morrison and an assortment of allies.

Dr Laming was welcomed back into the coalition party room this week despite his long history of poor behaviour and the discomfort this has caused several colleagues.

The government relies on his vote. Banishing him to the crossbench would plunge the coalition into minority.

Mr Robert is seeking comfort in the fact his longtime colleague has sought training, medical assistance and medication to handle his misbehaviour.

“We’ll continue to work with Andrew as long as Andrew continues to adhere to all of the standards he’s set for himself, which clearly he is,” he said.