Stephen John Ellis, a ministerial adviser, has been charged with an act of indecency and two drug charges

This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

A senior staffer to communications minister Malcolm Turnbull has resigned after being charged with public indecency.



Policy adviser Stephen John Ellis, 48, was charged on Thursday with behaving offensively in public and committing an act of indecency.



He also faces two drug charges.



He was held in police custody at the Canberra watch house overnight.



Ellis appeared dishevelled, wearing a blue pin-striped suit during a brief hearing at the ACT magistrates court on Friday.



The court heard he was allegedly in possession of LSD and amphetamines and that the alleged act of indecency happened at Canberra airport in the presence of another man.



No other information was given about the charges.



Magistrate Bernadette Boss granted Ellis bail and adjourned the matter to 5 June.



Bail was conditional on him agreeing to not consume any illicit substances and residing at his home in Darlinghurst, Sydney.



Ellis said in a written statement he had resigned as a government staff member.



“I will address the charges laid against me in the normal course of the legal process,” he said.



Turnbull confirmed the resignation, adding: “As this matter is both very personal and before the court I have no further comment to make”.



Prime minister Tony Abbott told reporters in Sydney earlier it was a personal and private matter.



“I just make the general point that when people have personal issues, they should be given all the support and all the encouragement that they possibly can to work through those issues,” he said.