Mark Parton admits 'my job is boring' text

Australian politician Mark Parton admitted on Thursday that he sent a private text saying his job was boring during a meeting, after local media reported a complaint about the message.

Parton leads the opposition Liberal Party in the Australian Capital Territory. Local media reported this week that a complaint alleged he sent the message to a sex worker.

The Canberra Times reported that Parton wrote, "And f--- my job is boring. Wanna swap," with a picture of a committee meeting last month.

After initially denying the complaint in full as a "smear", Parton told journalists on Thursday that he did send the text. He denied that it was sent to a sex worker, but did not say who received it.

Parton defended the message, saying he was still "holding the government to account". He said private messages were often sent during sitting days and hearings and described his communication style as "off-the-cuff".

The official complaint has been dismissed. Parton said he had referred the alleged "harassment" to police. His office shared a recording of Thursday's media conference in response to AFP's request for comment.