Tania Zaetta wins public apology over sex claims

DEFENCE chiefs have issued a humiliating apology to entertainer Tania Zaetta after rumours were spread that she had sex with Diggers during a goodwill tour.

Both the chief of defence, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, and Defence Secretary Nick Warner admitted that the organisation had mismanaged the controversy.

It began when a memo that contained sex claims was distributed to 96 people.

It was recalled four minutes later and the names removed.

Ms Zaetta has emphatically denied the rumours.

Rocker Angry Anderson, who was also on tour, has flatly denied claims he was the source of the allegations or that he had any knowledge of them. "I don't know where that came from," he told the Herald Sun last month.

A government source said the allegations had been made to Lt-Col Greg McCauley, who was commanding officer of the tour, and he is said to have immediately reported them.

During Senate Estimates hearings in Canberra yesterday, the head of defence public affairs, Brigadier Andrew Nikolic, admitted that the brief was distributed to more than 90 people.

Air Chief Marshal Houston told the hearing he was "absolutely appalled" by the scandal.

"I will obviously apologise and express my deep regret about any hurt she has suffered," he said.

"It was not well handled by us. I was absolutely appalled that the names were put out . . . and I regret the whole thing," he said.



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Tania Zaetta refuses 'sex with troops' allagations

Aussie Entertainer Tania Zaetta is under investigation by the Defence Department after an accusation that she had sex with Australian Soldiers during a 17-day concert tour of an Australian base in Iraq. Zaetta, also a Bollywood actress and former co-host of 90’s TV show Who Dares Wins, has strongly denied the allegations, calling them “hurtful and ridiculous”.

In promoting the tour, Zaetta is quoted as saying “I’m single at the moment, and there has been a lot of teasing that I am going into a very male dominated place where they haven’t seen girls for a long time.”

But of the accusations labelled in the Defence brief the star told News Limited, “That is the most ridiculous story I’ve ever heard about my life – and I’ve heard plenty over the years in this industry”.

She added, “it takes the cake. I’ve just done this most amazing life-changing experience, been to the most unbelievable places and for this to be said, it’s very hurtful.”

The Defence Department faces further embarrassment over the issue after it was revealed that they broke privacy rules by naming the Aussie star in their high level brief to Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon. The brief document included an unsubstantiated claim that the star had sex with special forces officers during the tour of the Australian Base in Tarin Kowt, and that the claim was apparently made by another Aussie touring with her, Angry Anderson.

According to News Limited, the Aussie rocker has denied making the sex allegations, saying that he was not “personal or petty dislikes, particularly when it could hamper or have a detrimental effect on a tour.” He went on to say while he doesn’t know Zaetta very well, as far as he was concerned, she “conducted herself in a very professional manner.”

The Defence Department says that tour personnel were briefed on its no fraternisation policy prior to the tour and it’s investigations will seek statements from all those involved.

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