Sydney  - A senior Australian politician who this week lost his drivers licence after a seventh speeding fine in 13 months sank further into disrepute Thursday when he called a press photographer two expletives after he was snapped cycling to work.

John Della Bosca, who is education minister in the New South Wales state government, was driving his taxpayer-funded ministerial limousine when he earned each of his speeding fines.

State Premier Maurice Iemma said he would seek an explanation from Della Bosca about the incident in which his education chief called the photographer a "fucking cunt."

"It's totally unacceptable, it's appalling," Iemma told local radio. (dpa)