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Mal Brough To Quit Parliament

Feb 26, 2016

Mal Brough, the federal LNP member for Fisher in Queensland, has announced that he will not be contesting this year’s election.

BroughBrough, 54, first entered parliament as the member for Longman, also in Queensland, at the 1996 federal election. He was re-elected in 1998, 2001 and 2004 but was defeated at the 2007 election.

He re-entered the House of Representatives as the member for Fisher at the 2013 election, after winning preselection in 2012. The then sitting member for Fisher was Peter Slipper, who had left the Liberal National Party after he accepted the Speakership from the Gillard government in 2011. Slipper and Brough came into conflict over James Ashby and a police investigation is proceeding into whether Brough and Ashby broke the law in relation to access to the former Speaker’s official diary. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2016 Federal Election, Liberal National Party, Members, Turnbull Tagged With: , , ,

Victory For James Ashby As Federal Court Overturns Peter Slipper Harassment Decision

Feb 27, 2014

The Full Bench of the Federal Court has overturned the 2012 decision by Justice Rares in the Peter Slipper sexual harassment case.

In upholding the appeal by James Ashby, the full bench, consisting of Justices John Mansfield and John Gilmour, said:

“We are satisfied that the evidence before the primary judge did not warrant the adverse finding said to constitute an abuse of the court’s process on the two bases found and did not warrant the rejection by his Honour of the sworn and unchallenged evidence of each of [James] Ashby and [Michael] Harmer.”

Ashby was awarded costs. This represents a severe financial imposition on Slipper.

The court rejected an appeal by solicitor Michael Harmer, who was criticised by Justice Rares over his conduct of the case, but also said:

“Nonetheless, we have concluded that the adverse findings in relation to his conduct, with their flow on affect upon Ashby, ought not to have been made.”

The decision means that Slipper is now likely to face trial on the sexual harassment claims. The abuse of process decision of Justice Rares has been overturned. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Gillard, Law Tagged With: , , , ,

James Ashby Seeks Leave To Appeal Federal Court Decision

Jan 11, 2013

James Ashby has filed an application seeking leave to appeal the Federal Court decision which threw out his sexual harassment case against the former Speaker, Peter Slipper.

Ashby’s case was dismissed on December 12 last year by Justice Steven Rares, who described it as an abuse of process.

A statement from Ashby’s “spokesperson” says Ashby’s lawyer, Michael Harmer, will also seek leave to appeal.

Statement regarding James Ashby.

James Ashby Statement

Friday, 11 January 2013

An Application by James Ashby seeking Leave to Appeal Justice Rares’ decision of 12 December has been lodged today with the Federal Court.

An Application by Michael Harmer (Harmers Workplace Lawyers) also seeking Leave to Appeal Justice Rares’ decision will be lodged Monday with the Federal Court.

Although there are many common grounds in the ?nding, Justice Rares made separate and distinct ?ndings regarding Mr. Ashby and Mr, Harmer, so each presently is being separately legally represented in this Application.

Harmers Workplace Lawyers continues to represent Mr. Ashby in his sexual harassmentcase against Mr. Slipper.

Neither Mr. Ashby nor Mr. Harmer is available for interview.

Spokesperson

Media Contact
Anthony McClellan
AMC Media
Mob: 0433 122 360
anthonymcc@gmail.com
Twitter antmac9

Filed Under: Gillard, Parliamentary People Tagged With: , , , ,

Peter Slipper Summonsed On Taxi Voucher Allegations

Jan 07, 2013

The member for Fisher and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Peter Slipper, has been summonsed to appear in the Canberra Magistrates Court next month.

Slipper has been summonsed in relation to three offences of “Dishonestly Causing a Risk of a Loss to the Commonwealth”.

The allegations of misusing taxi vouchers arose out of James Ashby’s sexual harassment allegations against Slipper. The Federal Police subsequently undertook an investigation into Slipper’s travel entitlements. Last month, the Federal Court threw out the sexual harassment claim as an abuse of process.

Text of a media release from the Federal Police.

Media Statement: Mr Peter Slipper MP summonsed in relation to AFP investigation

Release Date: Monday, January 07 2013, 03:21 PM

The AFP has today (7 January 2013) served the legal representative of Mr Peter Slipper MP with a summons in relation to three offences of Dishonestly Causing a Risk of a Loss to the Commonwealth pursuant to section 135.1(5) Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth).

Mr Slipper MP has been summonsed to appear in the Canberra Magistrates Court on 15 February 2013.

It would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.

Filed Under: Gillard, Parliamentary People, Video Tagged With: , , , , ,
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