Eden-Monaro MP Mike Kelly has dismissed speculation he has been offered a job based in Australia for an undisclosed Silicon Valley company.
A spokesperson for Dr Kelly said recent media claims of the job offer and talk he would prefer the role of opposition defence spokesman over his current role of opposition assistant defence minister are false.
"These rumours are untrue," Dr Kelly's office said last week in response to the claims.
Since retaining the seat in May, Dr Kelly has persistently denied any talk he is leaving politics, with News Ltd's Courier-Mail last week claiming "Labor ranks" are saying Dr Kelly could quit "within months", after he allegedly told colleagues of a job offer he had received from the private sector.
Media outlets have linked the speculation to claims NSW Deputy Premier and Monaro MP John Barilaro is considering a switch to federal politics, and would contest an Eden-Monaro by-election if it was to eventuate.
Dr Kelly said earlier this year he has a good working relationship with the Monaro MP, and that he was hard at work lobbying for a high-tech space hub at Jerrabomberra, Mr Barilaro's home town.
After losing the seat in the 2013 federal election to Peter Hendy, Dr Kelly gave up a job with the United Nations to stay in the political sphere working alongside former Labor leader Bill Shorten.
"Another part of my job is to bring people together for projects ... and, outside of the election, we should all be working together," Dr Kelly said in May.
"I have great relationships with John Barilaro, Linda Reynolds and Michael McCormack."
Last week Mr Barilaro told the media he was not ruling out a move to federal politics.
"I'm not going to rule anything in or out but right now Mike Kelly's the member, it's all speculation, it's been ongoing for months and I'll continue to work with Mike in our seat," Mr Barilaro said.
"Mike Kelly and I, unfortunately for those in the political world who would love us to sort of battle a bit more, but we've actually been working very well as two local members.
"When it's election time we play the political game but outside of election time we get on with delivering.
"There is no indication that he's leaving. He just got elected, I just got elected."
In September, senior Nationals minister David Littleproud said the party "would like to see a National Party member in Eden-Monaro".
"If Mike Kelly goes, or at the next election you may see John Barilaro wants to transition, you may see him as a National Party candidate," Mr Littleproud said.
"We need to win Eden-Monaro back and we can win it back."
