CANBERRA, Australia - The Australian public, Opposition leader Mark Latham and the Australian media have unanimously failed to believe allegations this week that John Howard could be involved in a sex scandal.

"It's just too unlikely," said Latham, speaking to the press gallery in Canberra today. "It's actually a very sick thing for a person to say. I won't comment on it."

The scandal has arisen amid a fierce public outcry. Talkback radio callers across the country jammed phone-lines today demanding that the woman, Susan Larwood of Chermside, Queensland, be offered some sort of psychiatric assistance.

The Australian Labor Party rallied to the PM's defence yesterday in an unprecedented show of bipartisanship. Meanwhile, media watchdogs have also been quick to distance themselves from the story. According to ABC Spokesperson Rob Andersen, "the story strains credulity. A woman claiming to have participated in a sexual act with the Prime Minister needs our compassion more than our condemnation. True or false, she doubtless requires counselling and treatment." He added that further discussion of Ms Larwood in the media would be 'inappropriate'.