News reports her saying that Dutton had apologized for the message.
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News Corp papers shared a pixelated image of the public servant, and Maiden used her column to allege the photograph was taken by Briggs and shared with colleagues.
“Sam and I have exchanged some robust language over the years so we had a laugh after this and I apologised to her straight away which she took in good faith”, Dutton said.
The text message was allegedly meant for former minister Jamie Briggs, who resigned this week after a female public servant raised concerns about his behaviour following dinner and drinks with Mr Briggs and his chief of staff during an overseas trip.
A spokeswoman for Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said he wouldn’t comment on the text message.
Australia’s Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has been left red-faced after he referred to a journalist as a “witch” – then accidentally sent the missive to the journalist herself.
Mr Dutton has occasionally been linked to a group of conservative MPs willing Mr Abbott back into power – the so-called “Monkey Pod” – named after the room where they meet in Parliament House.
Alberici made the unfortunate blunder on Monday morning while discussing the story with her co-host.
Dutton apparently wanted to send the “mad witch” text to Briggs but ended up sending it to Maiden who called it a “solid sledge”.
But acting Opposition Leader Penny Wong says his statement doesn’t go far enough, demanding the prime minister investigate who received the photo and provided it to the media.
Embattled Special Minister of State Mal Brough stood aside just minutes after Mr Briggs due to an investigation into his involvement in the Peter Slipper affair.
Dutton, meanwhile, is the top trending topic on Twitter and people ridicule his antiquated insults and lack of technology savvy.
In September, he joked about how the Pacific Islands had water lapping at their door in relation to climate change without realising he was being recorded by an overhead mic.
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Treasurer Scott Morrison, who was then social services minister, pointed out to both men that there was a three-metre-long boom pole microphone overhead.
