Wednesday, October 26 2005 18:32 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

London: Tony Blair's wife Cherie has been accused of 'sullying' the office of the Prime Minister after it emerged that a charity fundraising dinner she spoke at in Melbourne is being investigated by Australian authorities.

Cherie was a guest speaker at the event, held at Melbourne's Exhibition and Convention Centre in February to raise funds for the Children's Cancer Institute Australia for Medical Research (CCIA).

The charity could be banned from fundraising because it received only a fraction of the money from the event. The dinner cost USD 147 a head to attend. Cherie received a fee of USD 30,300, a media report said.

Shadow Leader of the House Chris Graying said in a statement, "the fact that Mrs Blair's commercial activities have left her exposed to an Australian Government inquiry absolutely confirms my view that she has got to stop making money in this way.

"We simply cannot have the office of British Prime Minister sullied like this. Nor is it right that any charity should be put in such an invidious position. Money raised at a charitable event should be for charity-it's as simple as that".

According to sources, the watchdog Consumer Affairs Victoria, acting on a tip-off, found that only 8 per cent, or 15,800 Australian dollars, of the 192,000 Australian dollars raised from the evening made it back to the CCIA for cancer research, with 176,000 Australian dollars absorbed in paying for the dinner and guest speakers.

Downing Street has declined to comment.