Rhys Muldoon, a former presenter on the children’s program Play School and current staffer for Labor Senator Richard Di Natale, has been stood down following revelations of offensive social media posts targeting political figures. The posts came to light on Tuesday after being reported by news outlets.
Muldoon was dismissed from his role in the office of Di Natale, a Tasmanian senator, after previously sharing a series of sexist and derogatory remarks on X (formerly Twitter) aimed at Peta Credlin, a conservative political commentator and former chief of staff to former Prime Minister Tony Abbott. In 2022, Muldoon referred to Credlin using explicit language and imagery, including a post describing her as "a strap on wearing fantasy for Liberals," and another calling her a "compromised boner" appealing only to "fetishised old white men." These posts have since been deleted, but screenshots have been obtained by media.
In addition to the attacks on Credlin, Muldoon made disparaging comments about Country Liberal Senator Jacinta Price in 2023, branding her a “quisling” for her opposition to the proposed Voice to Parliament initiative. Reports also surfaced of a 2014 social media post by Muldoon containing the N-word, used in the context of critiquing Australia’s legal protections for free speech.
Upon becoming aware of the comments, Senator Di Natale said he had decided not to extend Muldoon’s casual contract, condemning the language as “unacceptable at any time.” Di Natale emphasized the responsibility of those in public life to maintain respectful political discourse.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, whose wedding Muldoon had attended as a guest, stated in parliament that it was “appropriate” the staffer was stood down. Albanese said he was unaware of the social media activity until it became public through media reports and commended Senator Di Natale’s swift response. The Prime Minister’s Office was contacted for further comment but did not provide additional remarks.
Credlin publicly expressed surprise that Muldoon had passed the Australian Labor Party’s vetting process, given the nature of his prior online remarks. "I’m pretty disgusted that he was a star guest at the prime minister’s wedding," she said, adding that this reflected more on the individual than on her personally.
Muldoon is also known for his acting work, including a role on the television sitcom Us and Them, and for co-authoring the children’s book Jasper and Abby and the Great Australia Day Kerfuffle alongside former Labor Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. At the time of reporting, Muldoon had not responded to requests for comment regarding his social media posts or dismissal.