Former Play School star loses Labor staff role after racist and extremist tweets resurface

Actor Rhys Muldoon, known for roles on Play School and other Australian series, was hired in July as a casual adviser to first-term Tasmanian Labor senator Richard Dowling. Within weeks, a journalist uncovered a series of old X posts in which Muldoon used a racial slur, described a critic with a hateful phrase, and likened Indigenous senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price to Vidkun Quisling, a Nazi collaborator, while also disparaging Liberal commentator Peta Credlin.

Dowling described the messages as abhorrent and terminated Muldoon's contract, stating that public figures must uphold higher standards of discourse. Price responded, calling Muldoon's remarks repulsive and saying he has no place in government. Muldoon's X account was deactivated following the controversy. The episode highlights ongoing scrutiny of social-media histories for political appointees.