Tony Abbott's chief of staff Peta Credlin caught drink driving Opposition leader Tony Abbott talks with his Chief of Staff Peta Credlin during Question Time in the House of Representatives. Picture: Ray Strange Source: The Advertiser TONY Abbott's chief of staff was busted drink driving in Canberra the night of the Opposition Leader's budget reply speech. Mr Abbott's office confirmed Peta Credlin was caught outside her home with a "low-range reading" after returning from a dinner in the capital last week. ACT Police have since confirmed a 42-year-old woman was picked up drink driving on Thursday night with a reading of 0.075. Mr Abbott delivered his Budget reply speech in Parliament on Thursday night following Tuesday's Budget release. "She accepts without reservation that she has done the wrong thing and the matter will be dealt with in the usual way," a spokesman said. Ms Credlin made headlines earlier this year when she took the unusual step of speaking to women's magazine Marie Claire to defend her boss against sexism claims. She described Mr Abbott as deeply supporting, especially in her quest to have a child through IVF with her husband Liberal Party federal director Brian Loughnane. A spokeswoman for ACT Police said there had been no set random breath test operation last week as the Federal Budget was delivered in Canberra. But officers continually took random breath tests during patrols, she said. It's the second time in the past month an advisor to Mr Abbott has found themself in trouble. His director of policy, Dr Mark Roberts, was demoted in April when he allegedly threatened to "cut the throat" of funding to an Australian indigenous body at a Qantas party. Mr Abbott described that behaviour as "completely unacceptable." Last year he supported Tasmanian Liberal Senator Stephen Parry, who received a $520 fine and a six-month licence suspension for blowing 0.1 in a random breath test. "All of us from time to time make mistakes," Mr Abbott said at the time. It's how we handle them that is the test of someone's quality and I'm proud of the way that Stephen has handled this mistake and I know he's not going to make it again.