Moore's movie row gets ugly

An Australian minister has branded Michael Moore "ugly".

15:30 23 July 2004

An Australian treasury minister has branded filmmaker Michael Moore "the quintessential ugly American".

The fall out from Moore's anti-war documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 spread Down Under after he criticised the Australian government's support for George Bush.

Fahrenheit 9/11 won the Palm d'Or Award at the Cannes Film Festival and has become one of the most talked about movies of the year.

The film itself is highly critical of the Bush administration and the decision to invade Iraq.

Australia was one of the most outspoken supporters of the US-led war in Iraq, a stance Moore hopes will see prime minister John Howard voted out of office.

Treasury minister, Peter Costello, responded with a stinging retort, saying: "Mike Moore is entitled to his opinion but that's the quintessential ugly American, sitting down attacking the Australian prime minister."

Michael Moore is hoping Fahrenheit 9/11 will galvanise support for John Kerry ahead of the presidential election in November.