VIDEO: Rape 'impossible in marriage'

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is demanding an immediate apology from a Melbourne Islamic figure who reportedly told his male followers they can demand sex from their wives and hit them.

Mr Rudd described the remarks as having no place in modern Australia and unacceptable to mainstream Muslim teaching.

Samir Abu Hamza, who runs the Islamic Information and Services Network of Australasia in Coburg is reported to have questioned whether it is possible for a man to demand sex from his wife in a recorded lecture entitled "The Keys To A Successful Marriage".

Hamza is also quoted as saying that it is permissable in some circumstances for a husband to beat his wife.

Mr Rudd told reporters at an Australia Day celebration in Hobart today that he had examined the remarks.

"Could I say that these remarks have no place in modern Australia at all." Mr Rudd said. "At all.

"I would call upon this Islamic cleric to publicly apologise and repudiate his remarks. Under no circumstances is sexual violence permissable or acceptable in Australia.

"Under no circumstances are other forms of physical violence towards women acceptable in Australia. Nor are they acceptable in my view to mainstream Muslim teaching.

"So I would say to this Islamic cleric: Australia will not tolerate these sort of remarks, they don't belong in modern Australia and he should stand up, repudiate them and apologise."

The sermon was reportedly given about 2003, but only posted on the internet late last year.