Australian Leader Rudd Survives Strip Club Scandal
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
SYDNEY, Australia — A boozy boys’ night out in a New York lap-dancing club has only improved the prospects of Australia’s opposition leader in his bid to unseat Prime Minister Howard, a survey has shown.
Kevin Rudd had feared that last month’s news that, in 2003, he spent a drink-fueled evening at the strip club would harm his reputation as a God-fearing family man and raise questions about his character.
He had said he expected to “take a belting in the opinion polls.”
But it seems Australians are more broad-minded than he gave them credit for and could hardly care less about his nocturnal indiscretions in the Big Apple.
A survey published by the Australian newspaper found that the Labour Party had an 18-point lead over Mr. Howard.
