Federal Government
SHADOW BOXING: James Ashby’s $500,000+ legal bill is the dirtiest little secret in Australian politics
Associate Professor Phillips provided what he described as a “caveat” to his report. “The applicant on several occasions joined in a text conversation with the Speaker which was somewhat provocative and sexualised … I believe that it has to be said that at least at certain times the applicant added to the frission of the interchange.”
Since the Ashby saga blew up, there have been multiple reports about his conduct that have demonstrated that he’s certainly no stereotypical victim of sexual harassment. Far from being Peter Slipper’s victim, it is clear that Peter Slipper is his victim. The victim of a well-orchestrated, deviously cunning, cynical political assassination that has used and misused legal process to achieve political ends.
While others can be political cheer-leaders about this issue, we think it’s easy to find fault on both sides, including the Labor government’s atrocious handling of the matter.
Ms Roxon made the request to Mr Burnside after becoming furious about the speed and terms of the settlement that the Australian Government Solicitor’s office and Mr Burnside negotiated. Last night, Mr Burnside said he “could not comment on anything to do with the case”.
The commonwealth’s initial offer of $50,000 was unexpectedly and immediately accepted by Mr Ashby’s lawyers, Harmer’s Workplace Lawyers, infuriating Ms Roxon, who had not been made aware that a final settlement had been reached.
We don’t know what the Attorney knew and when she knew it but cutting this bloke Ashby a cheque in circumstances where his behaviour – as described by his own paid psychiatric expert (wheeled in to help make his case stand) and by many other published reports – is not consistent with the victim he initially attempted to represent himself to be seems very wrong to us.
In our opinion, it is an obscene waste of taxpayer money to give James Ashby any money, even a token amount. It gives the gutter-snipe a moral victory he clearly, on the evidence and published reports, does not deserve. It also leaves Speaker Slipper defending the claims against him on his own.
It’s politically incomprehensible to leave the Speaker defending litigation against an unknown – and potentially unlimited – litigation funder who is behind James Ashby’s highly expensive legal action. While he has got $50,000 of taxpayers’ money, Ashby’s legal expenses have been estimated to exceed $500,000. He is clearly not funding it himself and has refused to say who is other than generally denying receiving “external” monies. The Commonwealth says it spent $700,000. It’s been a lawyer’s picnic.
The motives of those behind Ashby’s litigation are – based on all that – clearly not financial. At best, even assuming Ashby wins, a costs order against Slipper would not cover anything like the amount Ashby’s backers have spent. In the absence of a financial motive, we’re left speculating about political motives.
We have been surprised to discover that the taxpayers haven’t been picking up Peter Slipper’s legal bills, which reportedly run into hundreds of thousands of dollars. This is particularly surprising as Slipper didn’t ever employ Ashby directly, the Commonwealth employed him, as a government employee, using taxpayer funds. It strikes us as an absurd situation that the federal government leaves individuals like MPs to pay for legal expenses of this kind. No senior public servant would ever be left in this position, Canberra’s Sir Humphey Appleby’s would choke on their soy latte at the suggestion. But politicians, it seems, are to be cut loose and left to fend for themselves about a matter that – ultimately is about the employment of a government employee who just happens to work with an MP.
This matter has been handled dreadfully. And whatever the rights or wrongs of it, a dangerous precedent has been set that makes any elected official vulnerable to spurious, smutty allegations, made by disgruntled staff, funded by those with a political axe to grind. Because the government hasn’t picked up the tab, the precedent has been set that would have any MP not in a position to finance hundreds of thousands of dollars in legals squeezed out of office, using any manner of variations on the Ashby ploy.
Some of the loudest folk condemning Peter Slipper’s unfortunate text messages – which are off-colour in part but not necessarily proof of sexual harassment at all – should take a careful look at what they email and text around themselves. There but for the grace of God go them.
UPDATE: Sources tell VEXNEWS that the number Ashby’s lawyers cited in discussions with the Commonwealth as having been expended on legal costs is $1.2 million. Even allowing for traditional padding, that’s a huge amount for anyone to fund.
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Thanks to cases like this, the Australian legal system is exposed as the farce that it is.
God help us
Who cares.
If he takes Slippery Pete down it will be worth it.
Who cares?
Old Slippery couldn’t help himself, he’s had the free cab rides, the holidays, the speakers robes gifted to him from the Australian Labor Party and the intern was just the cherry on the cake for him.
Dillards so incompetent and useless that as usual her judgement got the better of her and she’s been latching onto this guy for 6 months now making him Labor Party property.
Just like Craig “Tommo” Thompson she should have cut him adrift as soon as the revelations looked to be iron clad.
Of course when you have the most stupid person in the history of the world running the country what more could you expect?
BTW: Hows Labors good mate Michael Williamson, the former National President of the Australian Labor Party coming along? I hear those Amex Centurion Cards are a hoot, just wait till it’s revealed Craig Thompsons names on the credit card receipts… let the Labor spin begin!
What is it with Australian Pooters? Alan Jones, Alan Joyce and James Ashby all deserve a good old fashioned ‘Aussie Pooter Bashing’!
Absolutely right. While Slipper’s definitely no saint, Ashby’s conduct and potential underlying motives have not been adequately explored throughout this sad and squalid saga.
Maybe Therese Rein is bankrolling Ashby’s case?
Ultimately, if a private individual is funding it, who cares. What is more important is the taxpayer funded attempt to insert Julian Burnside into what is now essentially a private matter. Waiting for the outrage…….
We remain silent!
But it is true, Ashby was an employee of the commonwealth, not Peter Slipper.
And lest we forget Ashby is a filthy little creep.
For 20 years Peter Slipper has been in parliament without any allegations of any actual misconduct in his personal life, this strange little LNP spiv comes along and suddenly he is the world’s worst pervert?
And who says Slipper sent anything? Anyone can use his phone in the office.
Why is he being reported as a 26 year old, did the shrink get lied to and how come he claims such offences happened during the summer break from parliament.
This is a ridiculous farce.
@Marilyn – Don’t forgrt the 7:30 interview with mr.Abbott just after mr.Slipper took the speakers position and became an independent.
I believe it went something like this – We will see what happens to mr.Slipper early next year, etc, etc..something along those lines…should be an ivew of it somewhere on the abc site?? or someone else will have it..but listen too it..very, very sinister…
Homosexuals really do hate women. No Alan jones its not women that are wrecking the place, it is closet homosexuals with their own self loathing projecting it on to the world outside, that are wrecking the place. They hate what they can’t be a woman.
I believe this is when all this stuff started,,,look at the alledged timelines and the alledged associations
Its amazing how Peter Slipper changed from being a great bloke when he was a member of the Nationals, the Liberals and then the LNP, but when he ratted on them he became a slimy, slippery pervert.
Labor did over Mal Colston after he ratted on them (and Howard accepted his vote at least some times). Now the Liberal and Nationals are doing over Slippery.
The money comes not from the party though, but from a rich supporter out West.
Sweet Gina maybe?
I don’t like witch hunts of any kind. Does anyone remember Robert Woods who was an MP for the NDP back in 1989?
He was hounded and tortured out of parliament because government didn’t like his no-nukes message so they got him on citizenship.
I have just read Jenny Hockings rather brilliant book about Gough and the dismissal and the dirty little Liberal secrets and the fact is Abbott’s song sheet is a double of the tactics used by Snedden and Fraser.
The two major parties need to get over their precious whining about people changing teams, they are all Australian’s after all.
Gina is an Obese Miss Piggy, the sooner that vile worthless slob of an Australian dies the better – but I so so hope it is a slow lingering painful and embarrassing death. It is amazing any self respecting male would have or could have impregnanted her -YUK
And Slipper has resigned with dignity, which is more than most of his colleagues have shown.
But he sure won’t be voting with the liberal mob anytime soon.
Dignity? I don’t think it means what you think it means.
GONESKIS… But not before the ALP gave him 100% of their support with a parliamentary vote.
Labor and it’s cohorts are a disgrace
Good riddance to the sleazy shit. Inge must be so proud….
He obviously used her genitals as the blueprint for his unshelled mussels comment.
Yuk! No more pickled mussels for me
who gives a fuck whose paying Slipper is a smutty little slag and a slut of the Gillards. Good riddance you piece of ALP backed shit.
At least he has a great leader who knows how to get down and get dirty.
The scribe, you are a moronic fuckwit aren’t you?
The so-called sexist remarks were made before Slipper became the speaker and was Abbott’s boy.
Fair dinkum what a to do about fuck all.
Slipper or Ashby which one should we blame? All I know is by the quality of the previous post that those from the right have little intelligence, as they have to use hateful gutter language.As both Slipper & Ashby came from the Liberal Party this could explain their text messages.
Wow! What a pathetic, embarrassing speech Gillard gave today. She really is a worse PM than Gough!
Great to see Pilbersek being smashed on LateLine
Tony Abbott “wants to smash the place up”!!!
What Labor fu#tard came up with that lame line? Brucey Hawker?
My own lady’s department looks nothing like a mussel in brine, it is more like a mangey old dog’ mouth with it’s tongue hanging out with a big old Teeney Lady strapped over in to stop my leakage issue.
So Gillard voted to defend the undefendable Speaker, Slippery Pete, only to have him resign hours later!
Is Gillard the worst political strategist of all time?
Peter Slipper has not done anything wrong, what is wrong with you liberal party stooges.
There is plenty wrong with party stooges like yourself. You would turn a blind eye to anything. It is one eyed dickheads like you who have corrupted this country to the core.
some of the trolls on this site are obnoxious, presumably Sydney siders used to hearing the drivel of Mr Jones.
Ugly day for politics with the weakness of both sides on display. Labor’s decision to defend Slipper was ugly especially given his own recognition that his position was untenable and resignation. Abbott’s parroting of the phrase “die of shame” in the context of what Alan Jone’s had said was either a stuff-up or a nasty, demeaning attack.
Cant Labor just get honest Joe Tripodi in as there moral compass , he always points north ,or towards the next social club with real estate behind it …. Fuck Labor – its a conga line of scumbags on every level.
What upsets me most about the Slipper Issue is the use of the media to wage a war against this bloke – sure a lot of the stuff is dispictable but Ashby’s no saint – he loved it. was he put up to it by Brough and others. You never hear of the case of a certain High Court Judge who had a steamy affair. Photos and recordings supposedly ordered and obtained by his distressed and estranged wife. The affair THEN stopped.
Where the f–k are our esteemed investigative reporters ??????
Moi – you are obviously a fuckwit – are you a bloke, a woman, or a S-HIM
Marilyn, have been away from this esteemed site for awhile. Great to see quality posts from yourself. Unfortunately most of the posters here are in Ashby’s corner and maybe “rooting” for him. It is sad to see so many unbalanced reports.
Anyway good onya Slipper for resigning – It is just not worth it.
Well at least Pete’s not a pedophile like so many of those other Labor perverts who’ve gone down before him.
Who’s paying Ashby’s legal bills? WE are
Why?
Dillard made us [$50,000 worth to begin with] With defamation actions against kabuki Carr [& ors.,] to follow!
Ah Barry, what a gentleman – defending Marilyn’s mussels.
The Liberal Party trolls aren’t too difficult to spot when they have names like Slippery Pervert.
It might shock moron liberal supporters but it is not the job of the parliament to act as judge and jury.
There is no legal right to sack anyone.
The new Liberal policy is to send anyone in thier way bankrupt. With financed legal campaigns against MP’s to achieve this aim.Bankruptcy causing the MP to resign.It has nothing to do with high ideals.They are only motivated by thier greed for power, and the practise is illegal.
Why is everyone always questioning my integrity?
After all the shock & horror – Slipper unfit to hold the position of speaker cos of his shucked mussels txts blah blah blah…
BUT um, we want his sexist, misogynistic vote all the same & no, no, no, Thomson is different, he’s tainted!
It’s like watching a b grade movie with all the obvious ingredients – the bait Ashby, the dirtfiles, the Liberal plotters & veiled threats, motive & smokescreen. And we are supposed to believe this circus is taking the moral high road?
Strangely I feel quite sorry for the hapless Slipper.
think Slipper was the victim of an unprecented plot by Ashby and others within the LP and LNP. Whist comments were dispicable they were also messages sent to an avowed woman hater, a self confessed poofter – really like locker room man shit.
I dont agree with it but it still needs to be put in perpective.
IMO Slipper did a fantastic job in Parliament as Speaker – outside of that noble institution actions were seedy
The usual quality comments of the Vexnews readers seems to be missing from this issue, horses for courses I suppose. Couple of points worth considering though. Firstly if you actually read these vile email exchanges Ashby clearly states he is not offended, so what relevance do they have to the matter? Secondly, they occurred when Slipper was still one of the Born to Rules and so why aren’t the Liberals also in the dock? Next, to maintain the high standards demanded by the Liberals ALL parliamentarians and their little helpers should allow their personal emails to be accessed by a independent reviewer, like DPS Security staff and any all offensive or criminal emails published. Lastly, who are the strategic geniuses from Labor who allowed Slipper to resign after, and not before, Labor had gone to the wall for him. They knew he was going to resign, as did the Liberals (Bishop saw the group discussion and even someone as silly as her could figure out what was coming) Albo has a lot to answer for. But use Vexnews for rational discussion and objective analysis, except when bagging out Pyne, he is as bad as other closet dwellers like Jones and Slipper.
All of them are just fat pigs slurping around the same trough and in the same stye: Canberra.
Too right Bob. The incestuous journalists/eunuchs in Canberra are just as bad.
Check out this Crikey article about the press gallery committee..
http://www.crikey.com.au/2012/06/14/hacks-attack-in-battle-for-press-gallery-glory/
“We will attempt to have Aesop mandarin hand wash (and cream) in the Female toilets, instead of the soap in the bathroom in the near future.
We will inquire into providing vitamin water options to the vending machine.We intend to introduce a Press Gallery “Social Chair” to organise wine tours, trips to the snow etc.”
How are we going to put a stop to these swine? They have destroyed the future for our children thanks to selling out Australia to the globalist corporations.
Dear Pirate Bob.
We can discuss at length the value of that place, Canberra but IMO the place should never have been built. As much as I dislike things south of Coolangatta Sydney should have been the capital of our magnificant country. Canberra has nothing , only Pollies
Imagine how much better off Australia would be if a asteroid landed on Canberra.
Understanding simple instructions in English has never been my strong point. Should, must, shouldn’t all means the same. Though should not commit adultery means the same as let’s bang the arse off an 18 year old hairdresser.
So what is the joke at the CFMEU function that everyone condemns?
Dear Fruitie
that is funny !!!!!!!!!!!
It isn’t funny he was my man and Teddy Boy is not amused. I spend all my time trying to keep his pants up and Wenchy’s skirt down and to top it off Dirty Donna is not much better.
Between Fruit Loop and Wenchy the clothes below their waist are like a see saw, up and down, down and up, up and down. I am feeling a bit giddy, I need another coke and a hot dog.
coke for the nose, the hot dog where ???????????
The people funding Ashby are not the same as the people funding Thompson’s legal problems…
Well my Sav has a little issue downstairs even whilst glancing at my BBW body nothing happens, so I’ll leave up to your vivid imagination as to my needs for a tasty little rigid hot dog.
By the way Paulie it is nearly ni ni time, come back home for your din dins from by pendulous boobies.
Ok, who is worse, Peter Slippery or grubby Peter Clarke of Vic Libs and Prime fame? Answer… Peter Clarke is much worse because Slippery never acted as a Greens stooge by organising preferences against a fellow Lib in LM Doyle. DISGUSTING AND APPALLING. Isn’t Clakey Red Ted’s bbf? And wasn’t the Red one going to preference the Greens until Helen Kroger and John Howard stopped him? All makes sence now>
When Peter Clarke was Vice President he begged Howard not to contest the Aston by-election… Now he does deals to deliver a greens LM… What a disgrace…
Harmers are possibly “speccing” it, except for outlays…
Climbing the greasy pole to gain political power is always going to involve a few slides down and a lot of mess. Alliances are formed, fake friendships forged and then abandoned. All this anguish for a fleeting moment at the top of the pole where you cannot enjoy the view because you keep looking down trying to kick away those who would pull you down to take your spot.
We no longer wrap fish and chips in yesterday’s newspapers. At least that gave the news some value. The old news in print is used to make cardboard boxes or stored electronically for someone to use a search engine to retrieve it to damage an opponent at some indeterminate time in the future.
Reckon you are on the money Mr T
$50,000 of other peoples money if I touch another teen boys arse? Great, I get to feel up some bum and doesnt cost me anything!
Although pretty tedious, the 250 pages of texts that Ashby was forced to provide to the court have a few illuminating bits:
Slipper had sent Ashby texts alluding to his sexual life prior to working with Slipper – I guess the $150,000 salary was just too good an opportunity to pass up.
Relations between Slipper and Ashby appears to turn very sour after Slipper questioned him about why he was still working for the Liberal Party (see texts from 26 Feb 2012)
Shortly after this altercation, it appears that Ashby decided to leak parts of Slippers diary to scum bag journalist Steve Lewis at the Australian.
Looks more like a textbook case of your political enemies are mostly on your side of he fence
If you are expecting pages of lurid texts about female anatomy, you will be in for a big disappointment and the comment he made that received so much media coverage was made when he was still a member of the Liberal Party in October last year.
I guess the precious ones have never listened to Marianne Faithful if they think that bad language is a problem.
I can’t believe people say they don’t care who is funding Ashby. Of course it matters. We should know who has a lazy half mill that they are happy to spend on this strange little man. Why are they doing it? What do they hope to gain?
Was Slipper the target of a gay honey trap? Who set the trap? Who is Ashby’s backer? What the hell has been going on?
Deans a grub, just sayin’
That idiot Abbott can’t count. He got the electricity bill of some poor old lady and read it out in Parliament in another attempt at bagging the carbon price. He got the sums completely wrong and again embarrassed himself. And you right wing whingers think he is going to be the next PM. Have a good look at yourselves and get over your bitterness.
Might be Fat Clive funding the little poof. Didn’t slipper beat big Clive in a preselection many years ago (for the Nationals)
Abbott bashes woman (nearly) or at least intimidates her forcefully, as a young man – disgraceful behaviour by a bloke’s bloke who will probably be the next PM of this country. He should be held to account.
Getting closer DEAN… back in court again november 7th to check books.
Libs should get a safe seat for Ashby, not by going thru the back door and lets get this fellow into Fed Parliament.
Pyne and Ashby and probably you Barry have plenty of experience going in the ‘backdoor’ that for sure.
Slippery is crying poor about his legals, and is in hock to the tune of $450k to his brief.
Well boo frikkin’ hoo.
Apparently he is trying to sell two investment properties (which will reduce the portfolio to 6 … yes, folks SIX)
If Slippery goes broke paying his Queen’s Counsel (what an apt title in this instance), then big deal.
Let’s see ….. I reckon he has got 300 days left in Parliament.
At one dodgy cab fare a day of $200, allowing for “cabbies laundry fee” of 25% he should be able to claw back the 450 large …. no probs.
anon,
something about being the “giver” or “taker” I suppose. One is much better than the other, in my humble opinion. You sir, are, with respect a “taker” – have a great day – I’ll think of you and rthe pleasure and pain you take
If Pete is smart all those properties are held in trusts or whatever – rack up the legals Pete then take advantage of the bankruptcy laws of this country – all debts forgiven, pergatory for 3 years and then back smelling like a rose. Everybody knows that you haven’t made it until you’ve been bankrupt at least twice. We are only taking about legals and solicitors here.
Hey Pete,
you could even run for Parliament again – maybe the Senate
regards Barry
Marilyn “And who says Slipper sent anything? Anyone can use his phone in the office.”
You mean …. the same guy who stole Cragi’s phone to ring up all those knock-shops then slipped the phone back in the pocket of his trousers while they were hanging on the bed-post?
Ohh… and Slippery has admitted to it as well you clown.
Whilst not knowing who is paying the bills, the action does have the hallmarks of one G. Rinehart and previous actions from her.
Tie someone up in litigation to you break them, this case has never been about sexual harassment, it has been about bringing Slippery down, and teaching him and others a lesson what happens if you cross the LNP and their born to rule right to power.
Dave, good incisive point. I used to think that Gina was the most beautiful and desirous woman on the planet – but then I’m a money hungry mongrel.
It would be the only reason, wouldn’t it ??????
Barry anyone who ever thought that is seriously ill. I wouldn’t root her with even your little dick.
Geoff Gledhill where is your council campaign meeting tonight? I’ll pick up Inga and be there as soon as you get back to me. Surely Mitch can throw in a few bucks to buy us dinner and drinks.
mate, after she signed the cheque, I would compliment her profusely, tell her she was the best root other than her step mother – Shit another beautiful “rose”
Then again if someone paid me a fiver I’d even service Pyne’s rear, but I would use plenty of Antiseptic afterwards. As we know the the types like Jones who often frequent that orafiice.
CRAIG THOMPSON CHARGES WITH 30 OFFENCES.
Andrew we need a story on this so we can comment, ha. ha. This will make destroy the Labour Government and erode the union movement (whats left of it)- HSU, CFMEU dinner joke etc.
As the Major in “Faulty Towers” used to say “strikes, strikes, strikes, why do we bother?”
Kelly O’Dwyer is the love child of Peter Slipper and Jenny Macklin. Aaaaaaaaaaarrrgggggghhhhhhhh.
This Barry c unt needs to fuck right off. he is killing this site with his drivel
This Barry cocksucker needs to fuck right off. He is killing this site with his verbal diarrhea
I hear Frank Lowy is bankrolling Ashby.
Could that be right?
CRAIG THOMPSON – HA, HA, HA
To the other Barry out there using my name – fuck off and post your own you wanker – post of 15 Oct at 18.37 aint me
and Shoot Me the second Barry ain’t me
Yuk these Barry characters are all devos.
One rule for all
Peter Slipper has not been represented by lawyers in the recent proceedings.
I don’t understand how sms messages dated before Ashby started as adviser can be used as evidence of sexual harassment while in the position. He accepted the job after receiving them.
Who paid for Slippery’s defence?
Why us of course, with a fair chunk of the funding going to that notorious Abbott-hater Julian Bumside QC.
I’ll bet Julian talked that dumb-ass bimbo Roxon into pursuing it with the dual purpose of sticking it to Abbott (gee, that worked out well) and lining his own pockets.
I wonder if Julian has worked out the difference between Twatter and SMS yet.
Maybe Slippery could advise him.
CRAIG THOMPSON – HA, HA, HA
Posted by Adrian Jackson
learn to spell, dickhead
where is the moderator? So many of these comments are homophobic and sexist.
Offended fuck off you soft cock.
stop trolling Offended
Just to add to your list, Rivoboy, the mussels comments were also made before James Ashby was offered the job he chose to accept. I wonder why they were considered ‘evidence’ of anything, let alone posted for all to see.
The texts are interesting reading but I definitely wouldn’t be crowing or even attracting attention to them if I were a Liberal – especially in the later stages.
It’s weird that some posters here call Peter Slipper ‘sleazy’ for private texts but are happy to repeat and embellish here in a public forum.
craig thomson behind bars crook
julia gillard behind bars crook
nicola roxon behind bars crook
thats all anyone will remember in 10 years time
craig thomson behind bars crook
nicola roxon behind bars crook
julia gillard behind bars crook
thats all anyone will remember in 10 years time >
craig thomson behind bars crook
nicola roxon behind bars crook
julia gillard behind bars crook
thats all anyone will remember in 10 years time >>
Paul Smith no not that, anything else, or gee, no way, yuk!
There is no way I could perform cunnilinglis on Inga Binga!
I will ask Matthew to hurry up with your approval. Why me Percy maybe you could do the job instead?
mojo rising
feel the beat tide is rising
Wolves gather ready for the battle
Articles of war are now signed
Dragon branch assemble 14:30 on the morn, we have right of way.