South Australia Premier skips art event after alleged lover appears

Adelaide, Jan 26(ANI): South Australia Premier Mike Rann and his wife Sasha Carruozo cancelled an appearance at an Australia Day event here at the last minute, as his alleged lover showed up.

Michelle Chantelois caused a stir at the art exhibition in North Adelaide by arriving shortly before the Premier and his wife were due to open it.

Later the art gallery director made an announcement that despite the event being an annual tradition for Rann and his wife to attend, the Premier had "been detained".

Chantelois, a former parliamentary waitress who has alleged having a torrid sexual affair with the Premier, which he denies, said that she was attending the event at the invitation of a friend.

She also said she was "absolutely not" planning to confront the Premier and his wife at the event.

When asked if Rann should come clean about their relationship, Chantelois said: "It's up to him, but yes, I do think it is."

"What he does is up to him and I have no control. I am not here to cause trouble or stir anything up. Why shouldn't I be allowed to come here?" she added.

Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for the Premier said Rann "pulled out because it was inappropriate for him to attend given there are currently matters before the criminal and civil courts".

Earlier, Chantelois had claimed that she had a sexual affair with Rann, and that she had sex with him in Parliament House and also kissed the Premier in his house and other locations.

Rann, however, dismissed the claims as 'absolutely ridiculous' and said he would be taking legal action against the two media outlets that had aired the story.

"The allegations are totally and absolutely untrue. I have not had sex with her," Rann had said. (ANI)