Rann tight-lipped on affair claims

South Australian Premier Mike Rann is remaining tight-lipped and out of the public
eye ahead of allegations to be televised nationally on Sunday night that he had
secret intimate meetings with a married Parliament House barmaid.
Michelle Chantelois also reportedly claims she was his "puppet", that she would pick
the premier up when he called and on one occasion they were intimate on the side of
the road near a city golf course.
The claims are made in a paid interview with the Seven Network's Sunday Night
program, to be aired on Sunday, sections of which have already been broadcast on
Seven and published in weekend newspapers.
Ms Chantelois is the estranged wife of the man charged with assaulting Mr Rann last
month.
According to News Limited newspapers, Ms Chantelois was involved in a lengthy affair
with the premier that ended in 2005.
In 2006 Mr Rann married his current wife Sasha Carruozzo.
"I'm not going to live off lies any more - the fact is that we did have a sexual
relationship," Ms Chantelois says in the interview.
"Basically I was his puppet. He was calling the shots and I was his puppet. I would
just follow his instructions. And there were secret meetings.
"I would come and pick him up at the casino. He would get in the car and during
these times it was always Parliament House.
"He would direct me on where to go. Along the side, just on the side of the road at
the golf course... and I'm ashamed to say intimacy was involved.
"And then I would drive him back to Parliament House; he would get out of his
vehicle and go back to work."
A spokesman for the premier said he would not be making any public appearances or
comments to the media ahead of the program being aired.
Mr Rann told ABC on Saturday that the claims were "wildly sensational".
He will be making a brief statement on Monday.