It's not like Are You Being Served?

Australia’s national broadcaster is in hot water over a sitcom scene showing Prime Minister Julia Gillard in a ‘sex scene’.

Even opposition MPs are calling for a review of the ABC’s taxpayer funding after the comedy At Home With Julia depicted the leader naked on her office floor with her boyfriend under an Australian flag.

One – Nationals MP John Forrest – said the show demeaned the office of Prime Minister and desecrated the flag.

But then he called for a return to the values of Seventies sitcom Are You Being Served? – which featured regular jokes about Mrs Slocombe’s pussy and a stereotypical portrayal of gay men as camp and effeminate.

‘I've had enough,’ he told the Australian. ‘It's nothing to do with Julia Gillard. I'm not trying to defend her. It's the office of Prime Minister and it's not even funny.

‘The old English traditional shows like Are You Being Served? – they were funny, but this isn't. And to desecrate the flag dishonours what my dad did. This is our taxpayer-funded national broadcaster.’

Liberal MP Teresa Gambaro also said she was disgusted, suggesting that the national broadcaster's funding should be reviewed.

Gillard herself said she had no plans to watch the show, saying: ‘I’m not intending to comment on it. I’ve got some bigger things on my mind.’

The Prime Minister had initially expressed enthusiasm for the series, saying as the show launched: ‘I think people who know me well know I’ve got a pretty good sense of humour, so I expect to be laughing when I watch it.’

However, she was more dismissive in a tetchy interview ABC Radio yesterday, saying: ‘I think aspects of that first episode were funny but I've got more to do than sit around watching ABC TV. I'm not engaging in commentary about this and I'm not going to help you with a cross-promotion.

Published: 21 Sep 2011