The head of Malcolm Turnbull’s press operation and another prime ministerial staffer were involved in a drinking incident that left some "shocked and appalled" during previous PM Tony Abbott’s trip to an alcohol-restricted Indigenous community in Queensland’s north last year.

The newly appointed Coalition election press manager, Nicole Chant, and fellow Turnbull staffer James Hart posed for a selfie taken by Channel 10 cameraman Peter Atkinson on a trip to Bamaga in August. The town has been crippled by alcohol over many generations and while it’s still possible to buy and consume alcohol there, heavy restrictions apply.

The photo appears to show the trio drinking at the local pub, with Chant clearly playing up to the camera. BuzzFeed News has obtained the photo, which was sent in an iMessage group chat that included young Indigenous journalists on the former PM’s trip.





