Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says it is time to move on from the scandal over a lewd menu, and has declined to criticise the Prime Minister over it.
Abbott, LNP candidate Mal Brough and the party organisation itself have condemned a joke menu – believed to have been distributed at a party fundraising dinner in Brisbane – which made lewd remarks about Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
The restaurant owner, a Liberal party supporter, on Wednesday night said the menu had never been handed out at the dinner, but was a joke between him and his son which unfortunately got into the public domain.
Gillard on Wednesday attacked the opposition’s denigration of her and women in general as being a “pattern of behaviour”.
Abbott told reporters on Thursday it was time to move on.
“This was a bad taste menu that never made it out of the kitchen,” Abbott said.
“It wasn’t seen by anyone at the event, it was never distributed to people at the event.”
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All politicians needed to “lift their game” and be focused on issues that matter.
Asked why Brough had apologised on Wednesday, Abbott said it “wasn’t exactly apparent what the facts were”.
He defended the release of the restaurateur’s letter of explanation via the Opposition media office.
“It’s very important that the media should report the facts,” Abbott said.
However, Gillard has not accepted this version of events.
“Well that’s not what Mr Brough said yesterday,” the Prime Minister told ABC radio in Perth today.
“Mr Brough yesterday said he was aware of it, so I don’t understand how those two stories add up.”
She said Brough “should take every question on this matter” at a press conference later on Thursday.
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“I think the media will have a lot of questions given the version seems to have changed between yesterday and today.
“Mr Brough has got a lot of explaining to do and I hope he does today.”
Brough has apologised while shadow treasurer Joe Hockey – who was the special guest at the event – can’t recall seeing the menu.
Earlier, the Brisbane restaurant at the centre of the controversy disabled its Facebook page after receiving a string of abusive messages.
Richards & Richards also shuttered a review page on the website Urbanspoon after users vented their outrage there.
A copy of the menu, which offered “Julia Gillard Kentucky Fried Quail – small breasts, huge thighs and a big red (word deleted)”, was also posted on Urbanspoon.
The Richards & Richards Facebook page was not available on Thursday morning.
A message posted on the Urbanspoon site read: “We’re sorry. This listing is currently frozen due to unusual or fraudulent activity. Please check back later.”
A series of complaints were posted on both sites on Wednesday night as the fallout from the Liberal benefit dinner continued.
The event, which was held to benefit party candidate Mal Brough, has been labelled “menugate” on social media sites and Gillard has called for Brough to be disendorsed.
Richards & Richards owner Joe Richards has claimed responsibility for the menu, which he says was never distributed on tables during the fundraiser, and was intended as a joke.
Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey was the special guest at the event in March, but says he doesn’t recall seeing the menu.
Richards said the menu slipped into the public domain after a copy of it was posted on Facebook.
