Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd today denied accusations he lost his temper at troops in Afghanistan because he could not find a hairdryer ahead of a frontline photo opportunity.
A rival conservative MP, just back from Afghanistan, said Mr Rudd threw a "wobbly" during a secret dash into Afghanistan just before Christmas, with troops at the Australian base of Tarin Kowt "going on and on about it".
The alleged incident was widely reported in newspapers today and used by conservative opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull to attack Mr Rudd.
"This particular allegation by Turnbull is absolutely ridiculous and absolutely false and designed," Mr Rudd told local radio.
Facing re-election next year, Mr Rudd said his time in Afghanistan had been focused entirely on speaking with troops and finding out "what they were doing on the ground".
Mr Rudd was forced to publicly apologise last month after reports surfaced that he reduced an air force flight attendant to tears, shouting at her because his preferred meal was unavailable.
He has sought to craft an image as relaxed and easy-going, in a country where voters punish perceived elitism.
A poll this week showed Australia's worsening economy and soaring state borrowings had begun to hurt the popularity of Mr Rudd's centre-left government.
Reuters