TONY ABBOTT has rejected as ''completely false'' government claims that the case against Peter Slipper was a ''stitch-up'' as the scandal threatened to envelop a Queensland government minister accused of providing legal advice to Mr Slipper's accuser, James Ashby.

In his first comments since the government said on Friday that the case was a politically motivated abuse of process involving Mr Ashby, key Queensland Liberals and a journalist, Mr Abbott told Adelaide radio that was ''absolutely, completely and utterly false''.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/liberals-in-a-tangle-over-slipper-but-abbott-denies-a-stitchup-20120618-20kdg.html#ixzz1yD3x1Rc1

Today's performance of Tony Abbott and his band of silly bums, including that of his right-hand mad viper, Julie Bishop, in Parliament was despicable... Yet the commercial media reported it mostly as a feisty fight from a worthy contender... Crap of crap... Tony is an opportunistic idiot and Australia has been poorer for having him there, in Parliament — even in opposition.

The way Julie bishop insisted on distorting the reality — while waving a government document to entrap the Prime Minister about not mentioning in that document other countries who had a carbon tax, — as if no other countries in the world had a carbon tax according to Julie Bishop's crappy mind, was the performance of a hysterical mad women in need of psychiatric treatment... Mad! The woman was mad! And coming back for more! And by insisting to have another motion to stop the running order to try and force Julia Gillard to do whatever, Tony and his cronies were in total psychopath territory... If I remember well, the measured answer that Julia Gillard gave to the mad woman's question and accusations was that there were about 800 million people in the world ALREADY paying a carbon tax or being involved in an ETS scheme. Further more, the PM calmly announced that South Korea was moving towards a carbon tax or such by end of year, and other countries were likely to implement such policy soon and reiterated the carbon tax IS STILL THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY TO REDUCE CARBON EMMISSIONS in our carbon hungry societies (while digging more coal from the ground — but this is another point)... 

When Abbott started yet again to rant like a madman about the way Rudd was dismissed two years ago by the "faceless" men (we know who they are and they own to it but the word 'faceless" may make good copy but loosy political point — give us a break) Julia Gillard left the chamber and went on to do an interview with someone at the ABC... Her calm and serene determination was in sharp contrast to the completely idiotic rant of Abbott in parliament...

May he perish from his own bilious vomit...

 

In a clash of heavyweights from business and politics, two of the most prominent figures in the Australian conservative movement have gone head-to-head in a heated exchange over the issue of lobbyists.

Last Thursday night in a Melbourne hotel, there was an extraordinary exchange between billionaire miner Clive Palmer and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.

Both agree there was a fierce disagreement, but just who lost his cool depends on the story teller.

The undisputed facts are that Mr Palmer - who is a delegate to this weekend's Federal Liberal Council meeting - told Mr Abbott he was going to move a motion proposing registered lobbyists should be barred from being senior office bearers in the party.

That would effectively remove two sitting vice-presidents, former Howard government ministers Alexander Downer and Santo Santoro.

Mr Palmer has told his supporters Mr Abbott's response was visceral. He claims the Opposition Leader swore at him, that he felt physically intimidated, and that Mr Abbott threatened to kick him out of the party.

Mr Abbott's side of the story, alas, lacks the colourful details.

His office does not deny there was a heated confrontation, but says the Opposition Leader remained calm throughout.

Mr Abbott's office rejects the suggestion the Opposition Leader swore at Mr Palmer.

On this side of the tale, it was Mr Palmer who got angry.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-25/palmer-butts-head-with-abbott-over-lobbyists/4091566

The pictures of Tony Abbott used by the ABC and most commercial media try hard to make him look like an important intellectual squinting into the future, but I always see Tony's thinning slotty eyes and his clencked pained jaw reminiscent of someone who has been constipated for a week with no relief in sight... 

 

 

The News Limited journalist who worked with James Ashby and Malcolm Brough to expose allegations of sexual harassment against the Speaker, Peter Slipper, allegedly told Mr Ashby by text, "We will get him!"

Steve Lewis also told Mr Ashby, "I will sort out payment" and "Just tell hotel to book u in again and News will sort".

The text messages are contained in documents filed with the Federal Court and released to Fairfax today.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/we-will-get-him-journalists-texts-to-slipper-accuser-20120626-20zl9.html#ixzz1yrsaabBC
Cheque book non-journalism...

 

 

THE former Howard government minister Mal Brough received stolen extracts of Peter Slipper's diary as he conspired with the Speaker's aides to damage Mr Slipper and advance his own political prospects, new court documents allege.

Documents filed in the Federal Court by Mr Slipper's lawyers and released to Fairfax say that from March 29, the aide James Ashby ''unlawfully communicated and sent extracts of the diary kept by or on behalf of Mr Slipper … to Brough''.

At the same time, Mr Ashby was telling Mr Slipper he did not like Mr Brough, who was, and still is, seeking preselection for Mr Slipper's Queensland seat of Fisher.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/slipper-diary-was-sent-to-lnp-rival-20120626-210mz.html#ixzz1ywubmanx

The Federal Government is ramping up pressure on the Coalition over the Peter Slipper affair, demanding it disclose the full extent of its contact with Mr Slipper's accuser James Ashby.

Mr Slipper has stood aside from his chamber duties while he fights allegations of sexual harassment made by Mr Ashby, a former staffer.

Documents filed in the Federal Court allege Mr Ashby had extensive contact with members of the Liberal National Party in Queensland - including former Howard government minister Mal Brough - before launching the case.

Lawyers for Mr Slipper have accused Mr Ashby of sending extracts of the Speaker's diary to Mr Brough - who has expressed an interest in seeking Liberal National Party pre-selection in Mr Slipper's Sunshine Coast electorate of Fisher.

Liberal frontbencher Christopher Pyne has also admitted to having contact with Mr Ashby before the harassment claim was filed, but says it had nothing to do with the case.

This morning senior Labor minister Anthony Albanese said it was time for Opposition Leader Tony Abbott to give a full explanation about the Coalition's involvement.

"He can't run from his role and the role of the Coalition in these incidents," Mr Albanese told journalists in Canberra.

"If you look at the documents that have been released by the court, what they show is extraordinary levels of contact prior to any allegations being made publicly against Mr Slipper.

"The Government calls upon Tony Abbott to disclose all contact between his party and James Ashby (and) the nature of that contact."

Mr Abbott has repeatedly rejected suggestions the case is "some kind of Coalition stitch-up".

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-27/labor-ramps-up-pressure-over-slipper-affair/4095462?WT.svl=news1

It has been revealed that one of the Liberal Party's vice-presidents approached the ABC and offered to lobby on behalf of the broadcaster if the Coalition wins the next federal election.

Lateline has confirmed that former Queensland senator Santo Santoro made the informal offer to the ABC's managing director Mark Scott in April.

Mr Santoro is a known critic of the ABC, who during his time as a federal senator used parliamentary privilege to accuse it of "shoddy journalism".

His overtures have been blasted by prominent Liberal National Party supporter Clive Palmer, who says he would interpret the comments as a threat if he was Mr Scott.

Mr Palmer has been calling for paid lobbyists to be banned from the party's national executive, and has told Lateline he was appalled such an advance was made.

"I would have interpreted that, if I'd been head of the ABC, as a threat. That if you don't employ me there'll be retributions and my criticism will come reality when the Liberals get in power," he told Lateline

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-28/liberal-senator-offered-to-lobby-for-abc/4097028

A court has heard the staffer accusing Peter Slipper of sexual harassment does not want to give evidence that might show he has incriminated himself.

During legal argument on Friday, Justice Steven Rares told the Federal Court that James Ashby's claims against Mr Slipper and the Commonwealth has expanded out of proportion.

The judge raised concerns about the cost of case and asked the parties to "reconsider" mediation, but said he would not order it.

Lawyers for Mr Slipper and the Commonwealth have argued the case is an abuse of the legal process because Mr Ashby conspired with other staffers and Mr Slipper's political rivals to vilify him and ruin his career.

On Friday, the court heard Mr Ashby does not want to put forward a defence to allegations of "abuse of process" because he might be investigated for allegedly giving pages from Mr Slipper's diary to a political opponent and a News Limited reporter.

Mr Ashby's lawyer, Michael Lee, said Federal Government minister Anthony Albanese has accused Mr Ashby of being involved in a conspiracy similar to the US Watergate scandal.

Mr Lee said his client had the right to claim a privilege against self-incrimination.

Justice Rares agreed, saying because of the allegations Mr Ashby cannot be forced to make submissions that may incriminate him.

"You don't know how somebody might use that information in a criminal investigation," Justice Rares said.

 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-07-06/peter-slipper-court-case/4114496?W...

------------------------

 

Of course that idiot George Brandis — while claiming that the commonwealth is making a political case of the "Ashby affair" — is doing exactly what he accuses the commonwealth of doing... I would argue the judge in this instance seems to be pissing in his pants. The fact that Ashby may have committed a crime against his boss and that ashby is accusing his boss to have committed a crime against him are strongly related, if not part of the same indicator the Ashby character cannot be trusted. Amen...

Lawyers for the journalist embroiled in the Peter Slipper sex harassment case have argued that he does not have to give documents to the Federal Court because they identify confidential sources.

News Ltd journalist Steve Lewis has been subpoenaed to produce all communication he had with Peter Slipper's staffer James Ashby before Mr Ashby's sexual harassment claims against Peter Slipper became public.

He has been ordered to reveal emails, text messages and phone records to and from former Howard government minister Mal Brough; James Ashby's media advisor, Anthony McClellan; and another staffer, Karen Doane.

The court has previously heard allegations that Steve Lewis sent one text message to a Peter Slipper staffer saying 'We will get him'.

Lawyers for the journalist have told the court they are not compelled to produce some of the documents because they might identify a confidential source.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-07-13/slipper-journalist-fights-to-keep-documents-secret/4129452

 

And who could be these or this source?... I wonder... see toon at top...

 

 

James Ashby, the former staffer of Parliamentary Speaker Peter Slipper is reportedly under investigation by Queensland police over allegations he had sex with underage boys. 
Last night, the ABC’s 7:30 reported the account of a Queensland man in his mid 20s who claimed he began a relationship with Mr Ashby when he was 15 years-old.
The man emailed Mr Slipper of their relationship after he saw media reports of Mr Ashby’s sexual harassment case against the Speaker, who has stood aside while the matter is being investigated by the courts.
In emails sent to Mr Slipper and obtained by the ABC, the young man said he and Mr Ashby meet when the former staffer moved to Townsville in 2003 after leaving his job as a Newcastle radio DJ where he was convicted and fined for making abusive phone calls to a rival radio host.
Mr Slipper then forwarded the emails to police on June 16. ABC reported that police were in the prelminary stages of investigating the matter.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/ashby-reportedly-under-investigation-for-sex-with-minors-20120730-23a3w.html#ixzz226PjsEQE

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As usual I am a cynical old bastard, despite my nice exterior... Suddenly I do not know why, but I am overwhelmed with the feeling that the Liberal bums knew this... and I will tell you why... I may be wrong of course.... But in the plot against Slipper if there is a plot against him, the Liberals (conservatives) would have had to know they had at least one escape hatch somehow should things not go according to plan A...  or not fast enough... This seems to be "their" escape hatch... Ashby could have been tainted from the start and "they knew it", it seems and if the case against Peter Slipper was going skewith for the Pynes and Mal Brough of the Liberal (conservative) party, then the plug would have to be pulled...  I've heard of possible Liberal (conservative) plots to organise sessions of underage sex for future MPs in order to "blood" them... so they would tow the line when asked to, otherwise their indiscretion would be revealed.... I'm sure it never happened...

 

 

 

PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – dismissal or stay – application for proceedings to be dismissed or stayed as an abuse of process pursuant to r 26.01(1) of the Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth) – categories of abuse of process not closed – where allegations allegedly made in pleading for predominant purpose of a political attack to advance maker’s own interests – where some allegations made that were irrelevant, scandalous or calculated to injure – where applicant’s lawyer responsible for impugned allegations – where applicant and lawyer intended or aware that media would obtain a copy of pleading and publish allegations made in it

 

COSTS – where Court’s power to order a party to pay costs limited by s 570(1) of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) – to cases where Court satisfied that applicant instituted proceedings vexatiously or without reasonable cause, or that applicant’s unreasonable act or omission caused respondent to incur costs

 

 

Held: proceedings an abuse of process – applicant to pay costs

-------------------------------

3    Mr Slipper applied to have these proceedings dismissed as an abuse of the process of the Court. Mr Slipper contended that Mr Ashby’s predominant purpose in bringing the proceedings against him, in combination with Karen Doane (another member of Mr Slipper’s staff), the Hon Malcolm Brough (who was seeking to contest Mr Slipper’s seat for the LNP at the next federal election), Steve Lewis (a journalist, employed by one of News Limited’s subsidiaries as the national political correspondent for the Daily Telegraph), Anthony McClellan (a media consultant engaged by Mr Ashby) and Mr Ashby’s lawyers, Michael Harmer and his firm, Harmers was, in effect, to inflict damage on Mr Slipper’s reputation and political career in order to assist the LNP and Mr Brough and, so, to advance Mr Ashby’s and Ms Doane’s prospects of advancement or preferment by the LNP. The present application has been bitterly fought.

http://www.judgments.fedcourt.gov.au/judgments/Judgments/fca/single/2012/2012fca1411

 

DECEMBER 12, 2012 – 12/12/12 – may well be remembered in Australian legal and political history as the date when the wheels fell off the Liberal Party’s charge to regain Government.

Today, Justice Stephen Rares ruled dismissed the workplace sexual harassment suit launched by James Hunter Ashby against Peter Slipper, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives in the Australian Parliament.

Justice Rares found that Peter Slipper’s application to have the case struck out as an abuse of process was proven and ordered the complainant to pay costs.

Rare justice has been done ― but at what cost?

The judgement of Justice Rares is 80 pages long, some 32,500 words in length and is damning of Ashby; his workplace accomplice, Karen Doane; and his shady political backers, including LNP Fisher candidate Mal Brough.

From paragraph 199 of the judgement:

…the evidence established that there was a combination involving Mr Ashby, Ms Doane and Mr Brough…. Mr Ashby acted in combination with Ms Doane and Mr Brough when commencing the proceedings in order to advance the interests of the LNP and Mr Brough. Mr Ashby and Ms Doane set out to use the proceedings as part of their means to enhance or promote their prospects of advancement or preferment by the LNP, including by using Mr Brough to assist them in doing so. And the evidence also established that the proceedings were an abuse of the process of the Court for the reasons I have given.

http://www.independentaustralia.net/2012/politics/ia-vindicated-by-peter-slipper-victory/