20mar02

THE Labor Party will continue to hunt the government for more political scalps following the resignation of Liberal Senator Bill Heffernan.

Senator Heffernan resigned and formally apologised to High Court Justice Michael Kirby after alleging last week the judge trawled for rough trade among male prostitutes in Sydney.

Senator Heffernan has been forced to quit his job as cabinet secretary.

Opposition Leader Simon Crean said although Senator Heffernan was no longer on the frontbench, Prime Minister John Howard should force him from parliament and the Liberal Party.

He said Mr Howard had questions to answer, adding the Department of Finance and Administration knew in 2000 that documents, used by Senator Heffernan to attack Justice Kirby, were false.

"If the Liberal Party has got any integrity it should insist he resign from their party," he said.

"That's what Bob Carr did in relation to Franca Arena when she kept peddling untruths and using parliamentary privilege to do it despite being told not to."

But Mr Howard, who sacked Senator Heffernan just before he left for London, said on his arrival in Britain that the issue was now finished.

"He's made a mistake, a serious mistake, " Mr Howard said.

"He knows that, I know that, and the Australian public know's that, but he's been man enough to totally apologise which he should and the judge has accepted that apology, so in that sense I think we can move on."

Justice Kirby has welcomed Senator Heffernan's apology, saying his friends have helped him get through the issue.

"I have been sustained by my innocence, by the love of my partner and family and support and prayers from all sections of the community," he said.