The Australian media mogul, Mr Kerry Packer, has been accused of launching a campaign of "intimidation and vendetta" against the former prime minister, Mr Paul Keating.
A Labour backbencher, Mr Mark Latham, claimed in parliament that Mr Keating was the "latest and most spectacular victim" of a bitter Mr Packer because he had refused to give Australia's richest man control of a publishing company, John Fairfax Holdings Ltd.
While in office, Mr Keating devised the cross-media rules which prevent ownership of both broadcasting and newspaper interests in the same metropolitan market. The laws denied Mr Packer ownership of Fairfax unless he was prepared to sell his top-rating Channel Nine television network.
In the past week Mr Keating's business dealings as prime minister have been the focus of two Channel Nine investigations.
He has been accused of repeatedly lying to parliament about his multi-million dollar investments in a New South Wales pig farm, which a former partner claims left him out of pocket.
The former Labour prime minister has denied the allegations and is considering defamation proceedings, claiming it is a conspiracy by Mr Packer and the ruling Liberal government.