looney left angry little ants

Neal ordered to undergo counselling


June 11, 2008 - 2:58PM
Federal Labor MP Belinda Neal has been ordered to undergo anger management counselling or risk losing her political career.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd rang his errant backbencher from Japan after a series of damaging claims that Ms Neal and her husband, NSW Education Minister John Della Bosca, threatened and abused staff at a restaurant and nightclub.

Both have denied any wrongdoing, but it has since emerged that Ms Neal, the member for the NSW seat of Robertson, was sent off and suspended for a rough tackle on a rival player during a recent soccer match.

"I spoke to Belinda Neal today and I've said to her that there appears to be a pattern of unacceptable behaviour,'' Mr Rudd told reporters in Tokyo.

"Furthermore, what I've said to Ms Neal is that in reflecting on that, that it's important that this be dealt with by her appropriately in the future.

"She's indicated that as a result of our conversation that she'll actually be seeking counselling to assist in her own management of her relationships with other people.

"I've also reminded her that none of us, none of us, are guaranteed of a future in politics.''

Mr Rudd would not say whether he thought Ms Neal was telling the truth when she denied any untoward behaviour at the Iguanas Waterfront bar in Gosford, on the NSW Central Coast, last Friday.

"You've got conflicting versions of events and so the strong view that I've taken is that if you look at a series of events that there appears to be a pattern of unacceptable behaviour,'' he said.

Asked if it was a final warning, Mr Rudd described his talk with Ms Neal as "a clear cut conversation between me as the leader of the parliamentary Labor party, and as the prime minister, and with her as a member of the parliament''.

Ms Neal and Mr Della Bosca have denied behaving inappropriately at the bar on Friday night, and Iguanas management has apologised.
But two staff members have stuck to their version of events.

It is the first time Mr Rudd has had to publicly discipline one of his MPs since Labor won last year's federal election.

Ms Neal could be stripped of her Labor endorsement, but could not be sacked from parliament.

"No-one, I repeat no-one, is guaranteed a future in politics and that goes for all our members of parliament,'' Mr Rudd said.

"I think the important thing here is to deal with the immediacy of what appears to be an unacceptable pattern of behaviour