Allegations of sexual harassment and misuse of Cabcharge vouchers have been levelled at House of Representatives Speaker Peter Slipper by a former employee, James Ashby.
The allegations have appeared in today’s editions of New Limited newspapers around the country.
This is how the Daily Telegraph reported an extract of the sexual harassment claim lodged in the Federal Court against Peter Slipper.
Wednesday January 4 2012: James Ashby and Peter Slipper were in Slipper’s flat after work. Slipper asks applicant: "Can you massage my neck". Ashby says words to the effect of "yeah righto" as "he did not know what other response to give as he was brand new to him job and he was being asked by his employer’.
Thursday, January 5: Ashby was getting ready for work, when Slipper says: "You’re a strange one". The following conversation then took place in words to the effect of: Slipper: "You’re a weird because you shower with the door shut".
Ashby: "What’s weird about that?"
Slipper: "You’re a prude".
Ashby: "You can call me what you like, I’m happy to war the tag of prude. I don’t know what you private schoolboys got up to in your day, but I’ve never found it normal to shower with the door open. My dad’s never done it, I’ve never done it, my mates don’t do it, that’s not weird".
Slipper: "But you even go to the toilet with the door shut".
Ashby:" It’s not weird and it’s normal".
Slipper: "You should try showering with the door open"
Ashby: "It’s never gonna happen"
Slipper: "What have you got to hide? What are you doing in there?"
Ashby: "I’m not doing anything in there, it’s just not normal to shower with the door open".
——-//——–
January 14: Applicant drove to Slipper’s home to take him to meet some of his constituents. They stop at a local coffee shop.
Slipper: "Have you ever c*** in a guy’s a*** before".
Ashby: "That’s not the kind of question you ask people, Peter".
Some weeks later —
Slipper: Twinks or Bears – what are you into?
"The applicant recognised the question as relating to the types of gay sexual partners and was uncomfortable, replying to the questions ‘They are not questions you ask’."
——-//——–
Text messages on Feburary 1 and 2: The Sunshine Coast Daily was wanting to interview Slipper on his use of social media.
Ashby texts Slipper at 5.44pm: "DO NOT DO THE SOCIAL MEDIA INTERVIEW WITH CATHY. They are digging for a new angle. It will not be good!!!! The questions are laced with double meaning. It’s like answering the ‘do i look fat’ question. There’s not (sic) right answer. The daily do not like u! U do not like them! I do not like them! Do not help them sell papers!".
After finding out Slipper had done the interview he text him at 6.10pm: "You’re not funny! I cannot believe you called her! We’ll have to clean this mess up now !! f**k f**k f**k".
7.06pm – Slipper texts Ashby: "Relax my friend! x".
Ashby replies at 7.07pm: "It’s so very hard to when u care about the bloke they keep f**king over. I hope like hell they don’t f**k u over with this report".
7.19pm – Slipper texts Ashby: "Xxx".
9.38pm – Slipper texts Ashby: "Would be good if you here but perhaps we are not close enough?".
10pm – Slipper again texts: "Would be good if you here but perhaps we are not close enough?".
A text exchange then took place —
Ashby: "Haha where’s Tim tonight?"
Slipper: "Missing".
Ashby: "Gone to pick up lol".
Slipper: "Do you think Timbo is closer to me than you?"
Ashby: ‘Yeah but that’s to be expected. He’s known u longer. That sort of stuff doesn’t worry me".
Slipper: "Gone to prick (sic) up to whom? And closer to you than pete?"
Ashby: "No he’s closer to you. I hardly know him".
Ashby: "A random root lol!"
Ashby: "I’ve gotta stop being rude to my friends. Text u when I leave".
Slipper: "U getting roks off. Pity".
Slipper: "If you interested we could be closer?"
Slipper: "?"
Ashby: "I think we’re good already. I’m happy seeing Tim being closest. I hate stepping on toes".
Slipper: ":"
Slipper: "Your call if u want to keep degrees of seperatation. No toes".
Slipper: "I told him positrion (sic) open".
Slipper: "But you’re call and no hard feelings in that you only want businesslike contact. In that event of the difficulty in our personla".
Ashby: "I don’t know what type of contact you expect Peter. Perhaps u should define that u would like and I can then be clearer on my position".
Slipper: "U want something more? U brillianmt (sic) at massages".
Ashby: "No I’m happy the way things are. I care for u Pete but the massage is at far as it goes. Life’s a lot more simpler when it’s business and a few drinks after work".
Slipper: "Oh".
Slipper: "No problems and thanks for (unclear)".
Ashby: "All good".
Slipper: "Sorry things not working out but appreciate your frankness. In future in circumstances please arrange all communcoations (sic)".
Slipper: "Thu tim as cannot guarantee availiability. Soo u missing syd harbour creises (sic: cruises)".
Ashby: "Am I missing it now?"
Slipper: "Suspect if you miss"
Slipper: "If you miss ok. Tim has girlfrien abd".
Slipper: "And pete needs to sort ou".
Slipper: "ok your call. Sorry? You still happy to ? come to can ? if not can cover".
——-//——–
February 2:
Slipper: "And suspect I’m pretty stressed about next week".
Ashby: "Yeah I get that. Just be mindful we all carry the same level of commitment and stress for various reasons".
Slipper: "Ok :)".
Slipper: "How daily? Media?
——-//——–
February 26 text exchange:
5.37pm – Slipper texts Ashby: "with the number of ‘followers" on twitter".
7.18pm – Slipper: "Lucky canberra. Tim (third person) thought you were a nice twink!".
7.32pm: Text sent again
7.35pm – Ashby: "Why would he have seen a pic of me? Thatr’s a little weird that comment from him. Weird he was having that convo with u".
7.56pm – Slipper: "Met u in person".
8pm – Ashby: "Oh Tim. What was the discussion about".
8.01pm – Slipper: "U"
8.02pm – Ashby: "In a good way I hope"
8.03pm – Slipper: "Bout whether your loyatly was to thugs in LNP or to me! I told him I was hopeful your loyalty was to me".
Slipper: ";;) ok I do like you but must understand I get upset when you play with my enemies and keep me in the dark. It is not what I expect of someone I considered I am close to. If you find this intolerable please discuss".
——-//——–
March 1: Both Slipper and Ashby are in Slipper’s parliamentary office. Slipper "put his hand on the arm of the applicant and stroked the applicant’s arm stating in low tones: ‘You do such a beautiful job with these videos’. Ashby dropped his arm to stop the touching".
——-//——–
March 20: Ashby was in his office and Slipper "walked into th
e office and said ‘Can I kiss you both’. There was no other person present in the office. Ashby said ‘no’ very loudly".