Mark Parton admits texting ‘my job is boring’ during meeting

Australian Capital Territory politician Mark Parton has admitted he sent a text message reading “my job is boring” during an official meeting, reversing his earlier denial of the complaint and deepening a controversy that has rattled the ACT Legislative Assembly this week.

The reversal

Parton, a Canberra Liberals member of the ACT Legislative Assembly, had initially dismissed the allegation as a “smear” and denied it in full. But on Thursday, facing journalists outside the assembly, he changed his position. He confirmed he did send the text, though he flatly denied it was sent to a sex worker, as the original complaint had alleged.

That distinction matters enormously — and Parton knows it.

The complaint against him was referred to the ACT’s Integrity Commission, which is currently examining the circumstances. Parton has sat in the 25-seat assembly since 2016 and holds a position as a spokesperson on several portfolios for the territory opposition.

What Parton actually said

Speaking to reporters, Parton said he sent the message to a friend during what he described as a lengthy and uneventful committee hearing. He didn’t name the friend or provide further details about the timing of the message. “It was a throwaway line to someone I know,” a spokesperson for Parton said in a brief statement Thursday afternoon. “There was nothing inappropriate about the exchange.”

He declined to take further questions after the brief doorstop appearance, walking away from the gathered press pack after roughly four minutes.

Political fallout

The admission has given fresh ammunition to critics who had already accused him of being dismissive of the process. His initial blanket denial — made publicly and confidently just 48 hours earlier — now looks difficult to defend. And in ACT politics, where margins are thin and reputations move fast, that kind of reversal stings.

The ACT Greens called for full transparency about the Integrity Commission referral, with a party spokesperson saying the public deserved to know the complete scope of the complaint. Labor members of the assembly stopped short of calling for his resignation but said the inconsistency in his statements was “concerning.”

The Canberra Liberals, for their part, have stood behind him. The party has not indicated it will take any internal action, and Parton retained his spokesperson roles as of Thursday evening.

What comes next

The Integrity Commission has not confirmed a timeline for its findings. The body, established in 2019, can investigate ACT public officials and has the power to make findings of corrupt conduct, though it cannot directly remove elected members from office. Any findings would be referred to the assembly itself.

With the next ACT election scheduled for October 2025, Parton will be seeking re-election in roughly 12 months. Whether this week’s back-and-forth becomes a lasting liability — or fades into the noise of a busy political cycle — will depend largely on what, if anything, the commission ultimately uncovers.