Woman in Aussie affair scandal booted from function

Mike Rann has denied claims of an affair with Michelle Chantelois. Photo / Richard Robinson

The woman who allegedly had an affair with South Australian Premier Mike Rann says her eviction from an art gallery was humiliating, but she won't let him dictate her social life.

Mr Rann was to have opened the Australia Day Show at a North Adelaide gallery yesterday, but the attendance of Michelle Chantelois, a former parliamentary barmaid, prompted Mr Rann to cancel his appearance.

The premier is suing the Seven Network and Australian New Idea magazine for publicising Ms Chantelois' allegations of an affair.

Mr Rann's spokeswoman said the premier's attendance at the gallery would have been inappropriate.

Ms Chantelois said she and her mother, who was visiting from the United States, were stunned when gallery director Russell Starke kicked them out.

"I thought it was inappropriate," Ms Chantelois said.

"I felt absolutely humiliated that he asked us to leave at a public function."

Ms Chantelois said the friend who gave her the invitation did warn her the premier would be at the event.

But, Ms Chantelois said, she shouldn't have to live her life in hiding because of the legal proceedings and there was no restraining order preventing her from going to events attended by Mr Rann.

"Why should I not live my life in a normal way?" she said.

"I feel like he thinks I should be in hiding.

"I'm living my life and making decisions on what I want to do ... I'm not going to let him (to) dictate me."

Asked if the friend who gave her the invitation worked for the Liberal Party, Ms Chantelois replied: "No, absolutely not".

With just over seven weeks before the March 20 state election, Liberal leader Isobel Redmond says the presence of Ms Chantelois during the campaign could prove to be a distraction for Mr Rann, but denies any involvement.

"I knew nothing about this until after events occurred," she told reporters today.

"I'm confident it was nothing to do with the Liberal Party."

She said Ms Chantelois had every right to freedom, whether Mr Rann was present or not, and it must have taken courage for her to front a function where she knew the premier would be.

"Short of having a restraining order, or something like that taken out against her, most people are entitled to go wherever they want in this state whether it's a public event, or a private event, where they've got an invitation," she said.

Ms Redmond wouldn't be drawn on Mr Rann's character.

"It's not for me to judge his character, his morals, or anything else," she said.

Mr Rann, who has vehemently denied the affair claims, said someone had tipped off the media to Ms Chantelois' presence at the event.

"They obviously wanted some kind of confrontation or what have you," he said today.

"The media was sworn to secrecy. I think it was very much politically orientated.

"It was obviously designed to be some kind of either political or media stunt and there are matters before both the civil and criminal courts so I thought that the better judgment was not to go."

Gallery director Mr Starke refused to comment.

Ms Chantelois' estranged husband, Rick Phillips, also faces charges of assaulting the premier at a corporate function last October.

- AAP