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| Australia MPs join car-dealer row | Australia MPs join car-dealer row |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Australian MPs are locked in a fiery debate over claims that Prime Minister Kevin Rudd tried to help a car-dealer friend get a government loan. | Australian MPs are locked in a fiery debate over claims that Prime Minister Kevin Rudd tried to help a car-dealer friend get a government loan. |
| The debate is focusing on an e-mail which apparently comes from the leader's office asking the Treasury to deal with the loan request "asap". | The debate is focusing on an e-mail which apparently comes from the leader's office asking the Treasury to deal with the loan request "asap". |
| But Mr Rudd says the e-mail is fake and says opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull must resign for suggesting otherwise. | But Mr Rudd says the e-mail is fake and says opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull must resign for suggesting otherwise. |
| Mr Turnbull has demanded Mr Rudd stand down, saying he has lied to parliament. | Mr Turnbull has demanded Mr Rudd stand down, saying he has lied to parliament. |
| Analysts say it is the biggest test Mr Rudd has faced since he was elected in 2007. | Analysts say it is the biggest test Mr Rudd has faced since he was elected in 2007. |
| The row has been brewing for weeks, since it emerged that car dealer John Grant lent a pick-up truck to Mr Rudd for use in his constituency. | The row has been brewing for weeks, since it emerged that car dealer John Grant lent a pick-up truck to Mr Rudd for use in his constituency. |
| Mr Grant is a friend of the prime minister, and opposition politicians believe Mr Rudd tried to help him secure money from a Treasury fund called OzCar to help his business deal with the global economic slump. | Mr Grant is a friend of the prime minister, and opposition politicians believe Mr Rudd tried to help him secure money from a Treasury fund called OzCar to help his business deal with the global economic slump. |
| The row escalated on Friday, when Treasury official Godwin Grech told a Senate committee he thought he could remember receiving an e-mail regarding funding for the car salesman. | The row escalated on Friday, when Treasury official Godwin Grech told a Senate committee he thought he could remember receiving an e-mail regarding funding for the car salesman. |
| During a stormy debate in parliament on Monday, both sides traded insults and demanded resignations. | During a stormy debate in parliament on Monday, both sides traded insults and demanded resignations. |
| Mr Rudd had given Mr Turnbull an ultimatum to produce the e-mail in the parliamentary session, or resign. | |
| He told parliament the opposition had failed to provide the evidence so had "no alternative now but to stand up and apologise and resign". | He told parliament the opposition had failed to provide the evidence so had "no alternative now but to stand up and apologise and resign". |
| Shadow treasurer Joe Hockey demanded Mr Rudd and Treasurer Wayne Swan should both stand down. | Shadow treasurer Joe Hockey demanded Mr Rudd and Treasurer Wayne Swan should both stand down. |
| The prime minister called in the police to investigate the e-mail over the weekend. | The prime minister called in the police to investigate the e-mail over the weekend. |
| Australia's ABC News is reporting that the police have now uncovered the e-mail - and have confirmed that it is fake. | Australia's ABC News is reporting that the police have now uncovered the e-mail - and have confirmed that it is fake. |