Melbourne: Australian lawmakers are outraged at a controversial TV satire on Prime Minister Julia Gillard, depicting her naked on her office floor with her partner Tim Mathieson draped in the national flag.
Labelling it as demeaning to the office of the Prime Minister, the lawmakers cutting across party lines have demanded that the funding of the national broadcaster ABC should be reviewed.
The latest episode of the programme 'At home with Julia' is slated to go on air tomorrow and already the lawmakers are up in arms, saying that the ABC had crossed all limits of good taste.
A Nationals MP told the joint party meeting in Canberra today that the segment was appalling.
"Having sex in the prime minister's office under the Australian flag is the last straw for me," the MP told the meeting.
"It is sick, I'm offended and we should take a stand."
A Liberal MP agreed, saying the programme degrades the office of the prime minister, and called for a rethink of ABC funding.
"It is likely to further inflame the critics, some of whom have labelled the show sexist and demeaning," a media report said.
However, the ABC Channel have defended the scene which has used Australian flag.
ABC 1 controller Brendan Dahill said yesterday "It's a very gentle, tender scene ... (and) perfectly logical in terms of what happens in the episode."
There was no response from the PM's press office.
"If it's OK for others to drape themselves in our flag for all manner of occasions, I really don't see why it can't be draped over our prime minister as a symbol of love," a spokesman for the comedy said.
Monarchist David Flint said it showed a lack of respect.
"This is probably going a bit far," he said.
"I think a bit more discretion when using the flag is appropriate, even when you are trying to make a joke."
"There is no law against desecrating the Australian flag, but government protocol says it should not "fall or lie on the ground or be used as a cover (although it can be used to cover a coffin at a funeral)".
Previous attempts to create laws that would ban flag burning or "inappropriate" uses of the Australian symbol have failed.
In the controversial episode of 'At Home With Julia', in which comedian Amanda Bishop plays the PM and Phil Lloyd plays Mathieson, the Prime Minister and her partner decide they need to do something to spark their relationship.
Gillard declined to comment on the episode.
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