Sydney  - A politician bidding to become the leader of the resource-rich state of Western Australia said Tuesday he couldn't remember whether he had apologized to a staff member he humiliated in public when he sniffed the seat of her chair and danced around in mock sexual ecstasy.

Opposition Liberal Party leader Troy Buswell initially denied the 2005 incident but then confessed to what he said had been a bad-taste joke.

On Monday he quelled a revolt, hanging on to the leadership after a party room vote but more recent revelations could see him ousted.

The unnamed woman at the centre of the scandal told The West Australian newspaper that Buswell hiked the chair above his head and sniffed at it twice within 10 minutes, while groaning and making "sexually satisfying noises."

Four colleagues witnessed the Parliament House incident and Buswell has admitted to it. He has also admitted snapping open a woman's bra strap at an alcohol-fuelled Christmas party the same year.

"It's been a difficult week for me personally, but as I say that would shade into insignificance compared to the impact on the lady concerned," Buswell told a Perth radio station. "It would've been extremely difficult for her."

He said he couldn't recall whether he had apologized to her or not. (dpa)