Abbott: No issues with gay diplomat

‘ Aussie envoy offered resignation’

Sydney, May 5: Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s office Tuesday denied any controversy involving a meeting with the nation’s ambassador to France, who is gay.

The denial came after a media report said the diplomat had offered to resign, following an incident at a Paris airport when Mr Abbott was travelling for World War I commemorations in April. The Prime Minister was to be received on the tarmac at Le Bourget airport by ambassador Stephen Brady, the Sydney Morning Herald said. But Mr Abbott’s staff asked that Mr Brady’s partner, Peter Stephens, not take part in the greeting and remain in the car, without giving an explanation, the newspaper said, citing multiple sources. According to the Herald’s sources, Mr Brady was “literally screaming” at the protocol officer who passed on the request.

Mr Brady reportedly refused, took Mr Stephens along to meet Mr Abbott and later offered his resignation to the foreign affairs department, but it was rejected, the report said.

A spokesman for Mr Abbott told AFP, “the Prime Minister was very happy to have been met by ambassador Brady and his partner when he arrived in Paris”.

A spokeswoman for foreign minister Julie Bishop would not comment on the reported resignation offer and referred all requests for comment to Mr Abbott’s office. The ambassador himself had declined to comment for the story, the Herald said. Assistant treasurer Josh Frydenberg said his leader had much respect for Mr Brady and the incident may have stemmed from “issues around protocol”.