An ugly fight between Australia's Federal Government and Opposition is in danger of spinning out of control with fresh allegations that a Coalition Minister regularly visits gay bath houses. The Government is blaming the Labor Party for circulating a "fact sheet" on the married politician, which alleges he has sexually harassed other males in political circles. It also claims his wife is known within the Liberal Party as a "beard" - a term for someone acting as a cover for a gay man. A copy of the sheet circulated to journalists has been seen by The Sunday Mail. It names the Minister, who has children. It says: "Witness has seen him go to a bath house in Sydney on several occasions. Rumoured that he is sleeping with one of his staff members in Canberra." But according to veteran political journalist Laurie Oakes, it'sthe Liberal Party who are actually the source of the "fact sheet". "I'm interested in this, you see, because I've been fed the same allegations about this minister, and they were fed to me by a Liberal,'' Oakes said. The allegations came as Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd accused the Government of running a "dirt unit". Rudd blamed the unit for a television report about a heart valve replacement operation he had undergone many years ago, which he claimed was designed to question his fitness for the office of prime minister. Rudd accused Prime Minister John Howard of condoning a smear campaign against him, a charge Howard rejected outright. Opposition deputy leader Julia Gillard said Labor was not behind the smears: "I've never heard anyone in Labor refer to this supposed fact sheet,'' she said on Channel 9 News. Ref: News.com.au (m)
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Sunday, 23rd September 2007 - 5:03pm