South Australia Premier silent over barmaid's sex claims

Adelaide (Australia), Nov.22 (ANI): South Australian Premier Mike Rann has opted to remain silent and out of the public eye over allegations that he had secret intimate meetings with a married Parliament House barmaid.

The Sydney Morning Herald quotes Michelle Chantelois as claiming she was his "puppet", and that she would pick the premier up when he called.

On one occasion, she said they were intimate on the side of the road near a city golf course.

The claims are made in a paid interview with the Seven Network's Sunday Night program, to be aired tonight, sections of which have already been broadcast on Seven and published in weekend newspapers.

Chantelois is the estranged wife of the man charged with assaulting Rann last month.

According to News Limited newspapers, Chantelois was involved in a lengthy affair with the premier that ended in 2005.

In 2006, Rann married his current wife Sasha Carruozzo.

"I'm not going to live off lies any more - the fact is that we did have a sexual relationship," Ms Chantelois says in the interview.

"Basically I was his puppet. He was calling the shots and I was his puppet. I would just follow his instructions. And there were secret meetings," she added.

A spokesman for the premier said he would not be making any public appearances or comments to the media ahead of the program being aired. (ANI)