buswell fesses up to chair sniffing

April 29, 2008
WEST Australian Opposition Leader Troy Buswell has broken down at a press conference and confessed to sniffing the chair of a female Liberal party staff member after she got up.

Mr Buswell confirmed details of the woman's account reported in a Western Australian newspaper.

The unnamed woman said Mr Buswell started sniffing the chair she had been sitting on in front of other staff members at the opposition leader's Parliament House office in December 2005.

She said he did it to get a laugh and that she had told him she was shocked and outraged.

At a media conference today Mr Buswell had to break off after he was asked about the effect of the reports on his wife and children.

Read more at Perth Now

In tears, Mr Buswell said it had been a difficult time for him and his family.

Mr Buswell has previously admitted to snapping a Labor staff member's bra as a drunken party trick.

He has also been accused by retiring Liberal MP Katie Hodson-Thomas of making sexist remarks to her.