Former Labor leader Mark Latham says Tony Abbott must have been drunk to find sex appeal in a "plain" Liberal colleague.
Mr Abbott was hoping to have buried his gaffe, writing it off on Wednesday as a "daggy dad" moment, but his reference to the "sex appeal" of Liberal candidate for Lindsay Fiona Scott has led to further controversy.
Mr Latham told Fairfax Media in Melbourne he thought Ms Scott was plain and Mr Abbott must have been wearing "beer goggles" when highlighting her sex appeal.
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"She's a rather plain, ordinary-looking woman," Mr Latham said.
"(Mr Abbott) must have had the beer goggles on because she's not that good a sort and I'd rather have an aspirant for the prime ministership who is a good judge when it comes to checking out the good sorts as many Australian men do."
It was then Mr Latham who copped the flack.
"He engaged in what seems to have been some really outrageous and obscene behaviour ... and it's totally inappropriate," Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey told Sky News of Mr Latham's comments.
Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd weighed into the issue, saying there was no place for sexism in modern Australia.
"And people look to our national leaders to set that sort of example," he said.
