Indonesian minister is like 70’s porn star, says Abbott adviser

An adviser to Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s Liberal Party has caused outrage after apparently comparing Indonesia’s Foreign Minister to a 1970s Filipino “porn star”.

Campaign strategist Mark Textor wrote on Twitter: “Apology demanded from Australia by a bloke who looks like a 1970’s Pilipino (sic) porn star and has ethics to match.” The tweet has been deleted.

Reports said he was referring to Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, who has criticised alleged Australian spying on Indonesian officials. But Mr Textor told ABC he was “not referring to anyone in particular, but if you want to imagine someone, that’s fine by me”. He said on Twitter that no Indonesian had been bombed in Australia, posting the comment with photographs of the Bali bombers. He later tweeted an apology.

Mr Abbott, who has relied on Mr Textor’s polling in successive elections, denounced the comments in Parliament. “They were tacky comments and they have been withdrawn and apologised for,” he said. AGENCIES