The ACT's first law officer has defended Opposition Leader Mark Parton sending a "f--- my job is boring" text in a parliamentary hearing, adding it was also not an issue if it was sent to a sex worker.
Attorney-General Tara Cheyne defended Mr Parton sending text messages in a budget estimates hearing because it had not inhibited his official duties.
Mr Parton has admitted to sending texts from a budget estimates hearing in which he said his job was boring but has strenuously denied sending them to a sex worker.
Ms Cheyne said it was fair to say there are some parts of estimates hearings that might be boring.
"Especially when politicians are expected to be on 24/7 doing our job, so if we're being on 24/7, then our personal life has to be in there somewhere," she told ABC radio on Friday.
"I think the question for me was what Mark was doing. Was that in some way inhibiting or affecting or distracting from his day-to-day official duties?
"And from what I can see, I don't believe so."
Ms Cheyne asked whether it would have got the same attention had he sent it to a butcher, pool cleaner or delivery driver.
"And I really do think that sex work is work. It's a legitimate profession, and if that's who it was, so be it."
The Canberra Times on Wednesday revealed an anonymous complaint alleging Mr Parton had texted a sex worker during the estimates hearing on July 31 had been sent to Speaker Jeremy Hanson.
An image obtained by The Canberra Times shows a photo taken from Mr Parton's seat at the committee table, with officials and Chief Minister Andrew Barr in the background. The text underneath the photo in a message exchange read: "And f--- my job is boring. Wanna swap".
The image appeared to have been reposted on a social media platform by someone who described its sender as "a well known politician client".
Mr Parton strenuously denied the allegation he had sent the text messages to a sex worker but on Thursday conceded publicly he had sent a message that said "f--- my job is boring".
On Wednesday, a spokesman for Mr Parton said he had shared the image from the committee table with two other people aside from his wife.
The text of those conversations, provided to The Canberra Times, do not match the wording of the "f--- my job is boring" text message in the image published on Wednesday and which Mr Parton, asked directly on Thursday, said he sent.
Mr Parton had said the allegations were "politically motivated" and a "false, malicious and a clear attempt to smear" him.
ACT Policing confirmed it had received a report about the issues raised by Mr Parton.
"The report is currently being assessed, and it would not be appropriate to comment further," a spokeswoman said.
Mr Parton on Thursday was unable to say when he had made the referral but told ABC radio on Friday it was "a couple of days ago".
