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Sky News Darwin Bureau Chief Matt Cunningham says the release of “salacious” texts from Labor’s Anthony Byrne in The Australian “proves the old adage true that if you want a friend in politics it is best to get a dog”.

According to the Australian, a second round of “explosive texts from the federal Labor MP who is deputy head of parliament’s intelligence committee, with access to national secrets, reveal he boasted about using the media to 'destroy' enemies and exact political retribution".

“It’ll be the best read story in the country tomorrow,” Mr Cunningham told Sky News host Peter Gleeson.

Speaking “almost” in Mr Byrne’s defence, Mr Cunningham said “I’m not sure anyone would survive if their mobile phone was handed over and someone was able to basically go through and reveal all of the disparaging text messages they might have sent about their colleagues over a four or five year period”.

“Anthony Byrne was probably on the money when he talks about the Labor moderates and how they were being infected by the Green Left and people like Jamila Rizvi”.

Image: Getty