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Mal Brough may be able to evade journalist’s questions on a train, or by not answering his phone, but he may have more trouble with the Queensland Police. Vince O’Grady reports.
THERE IS NO DOUBT, whatsoever, that many Australians want to know answers to the questions posed by the group, Australians for Honest Politics, and other online publications, about Mal Brough’s involvement in the Slipper and Ashby affair.
Personally, I would like to pay due acknowledgement to Margo Kingston – a respected journalist and internet pioneer – for her interest in asking questions and sending them to the editor of the Sunshine Coast Daily. I would also like to highly praise the editor, Darren Burnett, for his immediate response to Margo and in sending the questions to the journalist Kathy Sundstrom. Last, but not least, I would like to praise and applaud Kathy for her tenacity and courage in putting all these questions to Brough on their train journey of 23 January 2013, between the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane. It is sad that despite all these efforts, Brough was dismissive, disingenuous and evasive.
It is important to take a quick look back about what the case was about initially and what it morphed into.
[Read IA's full investigation into Ashbygate by clicking here.]
On 20th April 2012, James Ashby lodged claims in the Federal court against two respondents: the Commonwealth of Australia and Federal Speaker Peter Slipper.
Ashby claimed that he had been sexually harassed by Peter Slipper whilst in his employ during the January to March period of 2012.
He also claimed that, due to an incident in 2003, which he claimed was known about by the Commonwealth, they were complicit in the offence.
He further claimed that Peter Slipper had misused his official Cabcharge dockets.
In response to his allegations, Both Peter Slipper and the Commonwealth said that the case was an abuse of process and should be dismissed.
During the proceedings, Ashby dropped the Cabcharge allegations and made a complaint to the Australian Federal police.
Peter Slipper has since been summoned to appear at the Canberra Magistrates Court to answer charges of dishonesty regarding his cabcharge use. However, those charges do not relate to the allegations made by Ashby. They were about the use of entitlements in the first half of 2010 — long before Ashby was employed by Slipper in late 2011.
On 12 December 2012, after reading 1,704 pages of Evidence from both sides, his honour Justice Rares made the astounding – and extremely rare, in legal terms – finding that Ashby’s entire case was an abuse of process. The judge ordered Ashby to pay costs.
Steven Rares then went onto describe why he had made that finding, and the scathing 202 paragraph judgement can be viewed by clicking here.
The Commonwealth had settled with Ashby during the proceedings and so Peter Slipper was vindicated that his claim of abuse of process was upheld. In short, Rares agreed with slipper that the whole sordid affair was a political set-up to destroy Slipper and deliver Government to the LNP.
Since then, both Ashby and his lawyer, Michael Harmer, have sought leave to appeal and Peter Slipper has sought indemnity costs — costs which are higher than those normally awarded.
Having reviewed the situation, let’s look at what Mal Brough said to the Sunshine Coast Daily reporter Kathy Sundstrom at Brisbane Station, after the train ride from the Sunshine Coast to Brisbane.
WE take a seat on a metal bench in the busy concourse of Central Station in Brisbane.
It is the first interview Mal Brough has given since being roundly condemned by a federal court judge in December for his involvement in the James Ashby affair.
Kathy then says that Brough has been accommodating, funny and has lost none of his political charisma. The article goes on:
The topic comes up innocently as we discuss the benefits of Tweeting, Facebooking and the dangers of sending a message that be on record forever.
“You send a frivolous message and in a couple of years time it could come back to haunt you,” Mr Brough says.
I say, “Yes, we know too well how that has happened”.
“The funny thing was the five texts (concerning his involvement with Ashby) were still there because I didn’t delete them. I wouldn’t have known how,” he says casually.
It provides an opening to the Ashby saga and the Australian Federal Police investigation into whether he has breached three sections of the Criminal Code and Crimes Act.
He suggests there is “nothing to talk about”.
“It’s run its course,” he says.
Brough then refuses to answer any more questions and says it before appeal.
He also claims that he hasn’t been dodging the press, but that no journalists have asked him for interviews. This rather absurd statement was immediately dismissed by prominent ABC journalists Lexi Metherell and Simon Cullen, along with News Limited’s Samantha Maiden.
His answers are misleading in the extreme.
The five texts he refers to are the texts entered into evidence in the federal court Annexure to Affidavit. They…
- Were not frivolous
- Were not on his phone, but Ashby’s, and so could not have been deleted by him whether he knew how to or not.
Brough’s assertion that there is nothing to talk about is also patently false.
Brough first met Ashby on the 23 March 2012 — the day after the last sitting day before Easter. The week had been a busy one for Ashby:
On 19 March, he had met with Christopher Pyne and had drinks in the Speaker’s office.
On 20 March (or thereabouts), he had gone to Julie Bishop’s office and complained of sexual harassment (according to Julie Bishop).
On 22 March he visited Christopher Pyne’s office to pick up a bottle of wine signed by Tony Abbott (Why he didn’t go to Tony Abbott’s office to pick it up, we wonder.)
And then on 23 March, he met with Mal Brough and his wife — for three hours.
An interview written up in the Sunshine Coast Daily on 6 May 2012 quotes Brough as saying the following about this meeting:
“I got a call from James Ashby on March 23,” Mr Brough said.
“I said I would ring him back. I spoke to Sue (his wife) and she said I should only talk to him with the two of us there. Mr Ashby came and spoke for three hours but danced around and didn’t come to it.
“He had been here quite some time before he outlined some of the allegations.
“He talked about the Cabcharge stuff and wanted advice on whether it was an offence not to report a crime if you thought one had occurred.”
Mr Brough said at his second meeting with Mr Ashby he had told him he needed him to explain exactly what it was about.
“What he had to say was very confronting,” he said.
“I said if he believed a crime had occurred he should go to the police. And I told him to get legal advice.”
Mr Brough said the pair had a third meeting on Good Friday. He had arranged someone to be there, whom he did not name, who he said knew about legal matters.
“Mr Ashby took us through everything and said he had arranged lawyers himself who he would meet the next Tuesday,” he said.
All of this information has dribbled out in bits and pieces. Christopher Pyne and Mal Brough denied meeting Ashby at all initially, but then, when information came out, admitted to the meetings, but said there was nothing improper about them. So why not tell the truth first up if there is nothing to hide?
But back to Brough.
He was the last in a line of LNP contacts who met with Ashby during that January to March period last year.
The first was Mark McArdle, who used to be the shadow attorney-general and shadow minister for iustice in the Queensland Parliament. The second was Christopher Pyne, a lawyer, and the third was Julie Bishop (a lawyer) or her office; only at the end did Ashby end up with Mal Brough — the only person without legal qualifications. Brough’s assertion that Ashby met with him, a non-lawyer, for legal advice after being in contact with all those other lawyers beforehand, appears extremely unlikely, to say the least.
Mal Brough would also have us believe that the five text messages were the sum total of his involvement in the matter. They are not, as the documents in evidence show an entirely different picture.
On 29th March he received a text message from Ashby which contained the details of pages of Peter Slippers work diary. He then asked in those texts for Ashby to email it to him as it was hard to read.
But that is not the only communication Brough had with Ashby, which appeared in the evidence.
At page 134/156 in the affidavit of Catherine Mann (solicitor for the Commonwealth) we can see the following email between Brough and Lewis.
It is interesting to note that this email was sent at 3.27pm and the extracts of the diary were texted to Brough before 9.33pm.
Page 125/156 of Catherine Mann’s affidavit shows the following email between Brough and Ashby.
Why would Brough need to discuss anything with Ashby? What potential “problem” could there have been? Let’s not forget, Ashby has been deposed by Harmers and is two days away from filing his complaint with the Federal Court.
These are only a few of the emails which passed between Doane, Ashby and Brough. There were also phone conversations, though no records of these have been entered into the evidence.
So, were these texts frivolous? I think not. But then there were also meetings, emails and telephone conversations. Were these all frivolous too? Clearly not.
Having reviewed the evidence again and having also taken legal advice regarding Mal Brough’s actions in regard to the Queensland Criminal Code, David Donovan and I have taken the opportunity as a citizen of this country to place the facts of Mal Brough’s actions before the Commissioner of the Queensland Police Service, setting out the details of his actions and the sections of the Queensland Criminal code that we believe he may have breached.
(It should also be noted that there is a separate request from Graham Perrett MP to the Australian Federal Police regarding possible breaches of the Federal Crimes Act in this affair. You can read his letter by clicking here.)
INDEPENDENT AUSTRALIA LETTER TO QUEENSLAND POLICE
Vince O’Grady & David Donovan
Independent Australia
PO Box 260, Isle of Capri, Qld, 4217
Fax: +61 7 5526 8217
Email: editor@independentaustralia.net
Website: www.independentaustralia.net
Commissioner Ian Stewart
Queensland Police Service
Police Headquarters
200 Roma Street
Brisbane QLD 4000
GPO Box 1440, Brisbane QLD 4001
Dear Commissioner Stewart,
We are independent journalists who writes for an online news journal, Independent Australia.
One of our main focuses in articles lately has been the investigation of the 1,704 pages of evidence on the Federal Court website, regarding the allegations and court processes against the former Speaker of the House of Representatives in the Australian Parliament, the Honourable Peter Slipper MP, by Mr James Hunter Ashby.
One of the things which concerned us as interested observers was the progress of Mr Ashby in the text messages from lawyer to lawyer. From Mr Mark McArdle to Mr Christopher Pyne and finally to Mr Mal Brough who, although he is apparently not legally qualified, met with Ashby and Karen Doane (Mr Slipper’s media adviser) to offer legal advice on 23 March 2012.
From our reading of the material, it seems to us that following that meeting Ashby sent pages from Mr Slipper’s diary to Mr Brough.
In his judgment, His Honour Rares J said the following at Para [58] “Later on 29 March 2012, Mr Brough exchanged texts with Mr Ashby. Mr Brough asked whether Mr Ashby could email a document because, what Mr Ashby had sent is “hard to read”. Mr Ashby said that he would email it and Mr Brough later responded: “Will need to get daily printouts tomorrow with greater detail”.
We infer that this exchange related to Mr Brough having been sent, and later emailed, copies of printouts from Mr Slipper’s electorate diary from 2009 made by Mr Ashby or Ms Doane.
On 29th March 2012, Mr Brough sent Ashby a text message and asked for the copies of the diary pages to be emailed, because the originals were hard to read.
| Can that be emailed James it is hard to read Mal.brough2@bigpond.com | 29/03/2012 11:31:19 am UTC (Network) | Read |
| Done. Coming thru in minutes | 29/03/2012 11:31:53 am UTC (Device) | Sent |
| Thanks | 29/03/2012 11:32:11 am UTC (Network) | Read |
| James can you give me a call please. Mal | 12/04/2012 10:09:04 am UTC (Network) | Read |
This information can be found on the following PDF file (annexure to an affidavit) found on the Federal court website, containing the evidence used in the court case of Ashby vs Commonwealth and Slipper, page 241/265:
Subsequently, on 30 July 2012, Mr Brough took part in a radio Interview with Fran Kelly on ABC Radio National. Once again, on our understanding of the material, Mr Brough appeared to admit that he had indeed received these allegedly stolen diary pages from Mr Ashby.
A recording of the interview can be found on the internet at this address:
http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/rn/podcast/2012/07/bst_20120730_0853.mp3
As part of our research, we have also read some of the Queensland laws relating to criminal offences and the party provision offences under the Queensland Criminal Code.
Relevant sections of the Criminal Code (Qld) appear to be:
- s140 – Attempting to pervert justice;
- Ch 36 – Stealing;
- s 433 – Receiving tainted property.
We also see that under Section 30(1)(d) of the Criminal Code (Qld):
A person is a party to an offence that is committed if the person—
(d) counsels or procures anyone to commit the offence. And that
And under ss30(3)-(5):
(3) If a person procures anyone to do an act that would have been an offence committed by the person had the person done the act, the person is taken to have committed an offence of the same type as if the person had done the act.
(4) Subsection (3) applies even if the person who actually does the act does not commit an offence.
(5) A conviction for counselling or procuring the commission of an offence has the same effect as a conviction for committing the offence.
The alleged act by James Ashby and Karen Doane of stealing information from Peter Slipper’s private work diary and giving it to a third unrelated party (Mal Brough) appears to be an offence in itself. In fact, there appear to be multiple offences committed by Mal Brough when one also considers the Queensland Criminal Code party provisions.
Further evidence of Mr Brough’s possible transgressions against the Queensland Criminal Code are detailed by His Honour, Justice Rares in his Federal Court judgment in the case Ashby vs Slipper, which may be found here:
http://www.judgments.fedcourt.gov.au/judgments/Judgments/fca/single/2012/2012fca1411
And more specifically: paras 58, 116, 132, 133, 135, 136, 138, 139, 141, 142, 146, 147 and 199.
Further, there may well be a prima facie case against News Limited Journalist Steve Lewis over his involvement in the counselling or procuring the commission of the alleged offence(s) as well.
In the interests of upholding the Queensland criminal law, and in the public interest, we ask that you look into the matters described above to determine whether any offences have been committed by the parties mentioned: Brough, Ashby, Doane and Lewis, with a view to prosecuting any offences found.
Yours Sincerely
Vince O’Grady
Investigative Reporter
Independent Australia
David Donovan
Managing Editor
Independent Australia
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Australia License
40 Comments
Great article it gives one hope that the matter may be explored in the MSM. However when I really cogitate on this matter I become depressed. I mean due to the fact we have a compliant press, it has never been easier for LNP pollies to lie, they do it so often that it has become a reflex, instinctual response when confronting Labor policy or when asked about one or other of their dirty tricks campaigns.
MSM demands our PM relate verbatim what conversations she has had about anything remotely seen as an issue and yet Brough and Abbott and the underachievers he laughingly calls the shadow front bench are never asked to justify any of their actions.
Anything the LNP has said about Craig Thomson, the AWU beat up and Slipper are repeated endlessly but the fact that there appears to be nothing to the allegations is never examined. No investigative reporting just repeat the dirt. Now we have a damning deliberation from a Justice about many Libs conspiring against Slipper and it is business as usual. Brough says the matter is over, Abbott and Hockey come out with their glib ‘hyperventilating’ response and that appears to be it.
Hopefully Labor doesn’t let this matter lapse, I want to know the truth.
Well done Vince & David. Hopefully you will get a meaningful response. Brough’s answers (or lack of) have been classic stonewalling and the #MSM’s attention to this serious matter has been deplorable.
In all my years of watching and being involved in politics I don’t think I have ever come across anything so blatantly clumsy and evil.
When I first talked to former Democrat MP Sandra Kanck about this she was not interested until I pointed out that if this went ahead it meant any little spiv. in the country could point the bone at any MP and get away with it.
AS she has watched it unfold with me she is appalled and sickened.
I tips me hat to David and Vince for this and hope the QLD or someone care enough to investigate the crimes of Ashby and Brough, Doane and all the other creeps involved in this.
totally agree Wellsy32.
Thanks Vince and David, Margo for keeping this alive. How these lot get away with so much is worthy of the most vigorous investigation possible.
Fairfax is as quiet as a mouse on this, but with regular posters commenting on it.
What’s the real take on this?
The average voter is being taken for a total ride and oblivious to the hypocrisy,lies and downright corruption in perverting the course of justice.
Basically trying to remove the govt.
Don’t stop, keep the flame alive!
Good on ya Vince and DD, Lets hope that the QLD police are more efficient than the Vic police investigating K Jackson?
This needs to be investigated, and should be backed up by the MSM who have been conspicuous by their absence on these matters!
There is lots of fodder for more poems in this lot, and I have already written my first for the year on”Tony Abbotts Australians for honest politics” which will be posted within the next week or so.
Keep up the good work guys
Cheers
Wow! What a wrap you two…your Honour, we rest our case.
Kathy Sundstrom was great too & i was really impressed with the political nouse & cynicism of all those SC tweeters.
In a society based on truth & justice charges would be laid tomorrow. What is Mr Slipper doing now? And just what has so completely stymied the ALP in this matter?
Pat Moore,
One word: Murdoch.
Two reasons:
1. He has an agenda (destroy the Government, take over the NBN)
2. Almost every journalist in Australia is in his pocket and/or terrified of him.
Thanks Vince and David for writing to Qld police. I do have a couple of questions though, as the stealing took place in the Federal Parliament from the office of the Speaker, shouldn’t the AFP be involved? And what about security, an employee sending information from parliament house to a member of the public, you would think that if ASIO didn’t know or didn’t act at least a tad embarrassing.
Bravo, Vince and Dave!
And well done to Vince and Margo for gracefully acknowledging the efforts of the Sunshine Coast Daily, its editor and reporter.
It is not every day we can applaud the MSM for doing their job. Not sure if the SC is exactly that, but it’s about as close as we can get these days.
So let’s see if the plods can now do their job.
Congratulations gentlemen! How in thrall, the Q police are to their masters, will be revealed by IA’s persistent honesty.
Sue, I’m with you in regards to AFP, include all,I say QLD police, ASIO and of course the Feds.
Everyday whilst reading the MSM I expect to see a giant Headline/ Exclusive and yet absolutely nothing.
The silence is, as they say deafening.
Where are The Greens on this, the Indis? Anyone?
Well, I hope the first day of QT at least has some serious questions and gets this out and about!
Counting the days! Whilst it stinks to high heaven, where is everyone- still unwrapping their Santa presents?
AWOL or just don’t care or perhaps too big.
As The Toecutter says in ‘Mad Max’, …’We have a problem here. She is not what she seems. Bubba Zanetti has it on good authority. She was sent by the bronze, full of treachery. Bronze, take our pride! ‘
..and that problem is that we STILL wonder why the MSM doesn’t give two hoots about these issues. They are LNP Spinsters, nothing more, nothing less.
Is it not about time to write off the MSM full stop and give the IA crowd our full backing? …to stop wishing our time away with dreams of a fair and equitable MSM?… to make what media outlets there are left balanced?
The MSM is in the LNP pockets, if not owned by them. So it’s time to stop expecting them to bite the hand that feeds them.
Lindadom has it spot on – “..where are the Greens on this, the Indis? Anyone?”
The only real opposing force that I can see here is Tony Windsor, Independant. The rest? Apparantly they don’t give a flying fark…INCLUDING THE ALP!
It is left to the likes of Vince, David, Margo, Tess and the all the rest of IA’s brilliant team – and indeed the contributors here – to hold these people to account. It is US who are our only real hope of bringing justice to a corrupt system where those who own the media, own the vote.
So, forget about the MSM. It’s gone. Abbott and Suckholes Inc. now own that – and it’s about time the ALP took a huge leaf out of their book and hit back before they get rolled at the next election.
I, for one, will not let the ‘Bronze’ steal my pride.
Thanks Vince & DD, & Margo too, not only for the reporting but your efforts in trying to get to the truth of this dirty crime & conspiracy.
I’m actually surprised the Sunshine Coast Daily reporter Kathy Sundstrom attempted to ask that slime Brough Margo’s questions.
Agree with all the comments especially those from MarilynS & Tungstenator.
Not confident about any investigations in Ashbygate because it will reveal the LNP/MSM/ABC conspiracy & as Voltaire said “to learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticise.”
Sue, as mentioned in the piece:
“It should also be noted that there is a separate request from Graham Perrett MP to the Australian Federal Police regarding possible breaches of the Federal Crimes Act in this affair. You can read his letter by clicking here.”
The letter to Commissioner Stewart doesn’t appear to be dated? When was it sent?
25/1/13
Thanks David for your reply
I had misunderstood Perret’s letter, thinking he had only written to Qld police.
It’s nice that the Sunshine Coast Daily responded, asking Brough the questions supplied. This would have been a rude surprise for him.
But we have our own national resource, for which we pay; the ABC.
It needs to be asked why it shows no more published interest in this Ashby setup than other MSM.
The ABC are the soft underbelly of Murdochism; and are susceptible to such inquiry, like no other part of the Media. In addition there are journalists at the ABC who want this matter covered closely and extensively. They need our support.
It would be a waste – and a big mistake – not to put polite and insistent pressure on the ABC. And they have a large range of inputs and contacts which can be used.
For this live issue the complaint process is unwieldy. It is thoroughly corrupt anyway, and turns the ABC into a defensive monolith.
Well done Vince and David for your attempts to keep the bastards honest. I’m not sure what to expect from the Qld Police under Campbell Newman, but as the actions of the SC Daily show we should expect the unexpected.
@ Tungstenator I gave up on the MSM long ago and the ABC not long enough ago.
Brough’s non-answers on the train reveal he is laughing at us. Let’s all hope that with time IA relieves him of his smugness.
Brough is apparently unaware that even if text messages are deleted from phones they may still be found. Forensic techniques can reconstruct them, I understand (don’t know how). Email is similar. I wouldn’t trust deleting them if I didn’t want my emails read by others.
I congratulate you both, your courage and persistence is a credit to you and IA. You are taking on what the MSM lack the courage and ticker with all their resources, should be doing. When the truth of this sordid disgraceful attack on the Democratic process in Australia is fully revealed, those responsible should be punished within the full extent of the law.
We in this country will owe you both a huge debt.
Thanks
Thank you.
This is a masterclass in investigative journalism and in how to write an article – crystal-clear prose without denigrating adjectives or name-calling. That is not meanto be patronising – it seems to be becoming more and rare. Thank you.
I felt the non-answers said a great deal – most notably, the comment about not deleting the txts. It seems Brough isn’t in the habit of clearing texts, as he claims not to know how, so why delete those? Ashby was advised by Tania Hubbard to delete. I noticed that Mark McArdle’s txts were very brief and gave only minimal details of meetings, never any comment – which of course might be for other reasons.
Not a matter of not doing something, just a matter of not being found out.
I am so proud that there are people like Vince, David and Margo in Australia willing to fight against political corruption and main stream media ineptitude despite their best efforts to keep this whole tardy Slipper Ashby affair under wraps. Thank you so much for your amazing efforts!
I hope that now, finally, the MSM will start to do their own investigations too. Surely someone will now be able to question Brough and inform him that as the case is not officially under Appeal then he has no rights not to comment? I mean, IA has done all the legwork for the whole of the Australian media in clearly listing the problems and exactly what questions to ask!
Also, its interesting to not that the ABC journos etc say they couldn’t get through to Mal on his mobile but the SCD reporter asserts she had no problems at all getting through for the train story. Wonder why this was so?
Anyway, once again THANK YOU IA for a brilliant piece of actual journalism that I have been so eager to read about / view for some time (no thanks to the ABC)!
I read with interest an article by Judith Ireland (the new kid on the compliant journo’s block), SMH, Wednesday, 23 January 2013 – Police Dig Deeper into YouTube rant after Rudd identifies new witness.
WTF! Almost a year investigating a video of Rudd swearing but NOTHING on, possibly, the most sensational case of political conspiracy, criminal activity by elected members of Parliament and their operatives ever to see the light of day.
… “a spokesman for Mr Rudd … Said the member for Griffith initially referred the matter to police [AFP] last year as it related to a ‘possible theft and unauthorized use of Commomwealth information.’”
Wouldn’t the procurement of Slipper’s diary entries (by Ashby FOR Brough’s use) also constitute “theft of commonwealth information?
I have written elsewhere here that I had written to ABC’s Four Corners to try to get the attention of Sarah Ferguson to investigate this matter. Apparently they are on holiday … No response yet.
Also, on another subject, but being Australia Day, I would like to comment (without offending supporters of the Australian of the Year recipient – Ita Buttrose). I for one was gobsmacked at her political comments in an interview after being announced as Austrlian of the Year – “Tony Abbott is not a mysogonist” … Why would she weave Abbott into the interview? Only then to go on stage with the Prime Minister! Given what the PM has endured at the hands of arseholes in the media and online (Alan Jones, Andrew Bolt, Larry Pickering and their respective cohorts – shame!), I would have thought Buttrose would have shown a little more discretion. Just me saying …
Robby V agree, but would go further, I do want to offend Ita Buttrose and her supporters as Australian of the year, as I am offended by her comments. I go back to a radio station in the early 80,s with a spoof on “ity buttocks” complete with lisp re contents of womans weekly.
The comedy remains. She still displays total ignorance and utter lack of insight or any human decency.
I don’t like Ita Buttrose sorry to say,I follow my instinct a lot, her attitude is one of the reasons and comments she has made before, She isn’t a Labor supporter anyway , after all she is one of Murdoch’s and Packers old work horse. My husband still doesn’t understand why she got there as Australian of the Year, there are far more deserving than her, many doing the same thing as she is doing being spokes persons for all these medical issues, just look at these Doctors, Surgeons, scientist, many many more , even the likes of Margo who works tirelessly to get some justice done, then you get the likes of these others who worship Tony Abbott the village Idiot. Ita Buttrose didn’t look happy at all , I wonder why? maybe because she knew she didn’t deserve it or she felt a bit guilty what she might have said about the PM in the past. Very much like when Clive Palmer was made an” Australian’s national living treasures” he didn’t deserve that title at all. Who is he but someone with pots of money made in real estate and then in mining. Australia has gone mad, whoever picks these sort of people they need to get their heads screwed on properly. These titles should go to people who really deserve it not to someone who is just in the media for their own selfish needs.
Thankyou IA, Vince, Margo and David. The voices of reason. The dose of sanity,to soothe the cognatve dissonance of the MSM agenda.:)
The LNP says there is no conspiracy and claims Labor is “hyperventilating”.
According to published details, Ashby spoke first to Mark McMcArdle (LNP, former shadow attorney-general and shadow minister for justice in a Queensland parliament), then Chris Pyne (Liberal, lawyer, Manager of Opposition Business in the House), then to Julie Bishop (Liberal, lawyer, Deputy Opposition Leader) and then to Mal Brough (LNP, not a lawyer, former Howard government minister and LNP candidate for the seat held by Peter Slipper, Independent).
Mr Ashby’s employers were Peter Slipper and the Commonwealth. The details published so far do not indicate that Mr Ashby discussed misuse of Cabcharge dockets with any of his employers, or the police. There is nothing to show Mr Ashby discussed his allegations of sexual harassment with any of his employers, or the police. There is nothing to show Mr Ashby discussed his allegations with either the Attorney-General (Nicola Roxon, Labor) or the Minister for Justice (Jason Clare, Labor).
Mr Ashby took his complaints to members of the Liberal Party and fine-tuned his complaint with the man who wanted his employer’s Queensland seat and a reporter who works for the anti-Labor Murdoch press.
Mr Ashby and his office colleague and collaborator Karen Doane sought alternative employment within the Queensland LNP State government.
Any suggestion that there is “NO conspiracy” and that Labor is “hyperventilating” is sheer nonsense.
The question for caring Australians is what are we going to do about a thoroughly corrupt and professionally bankrupt news media that is hell-bent on either misinforming the public or keeping the public in the dark? This is a serious issue for the well-being of our democracy.
Only those who take an interest realise what is happening. The remainder, probably the vast majority of voting Australians, haven’t got a clue about the extent to which they are being misled. Unless we do something drastic, we will end up with a country led by “the village idiot”.
I have a goat and my goat is very unhappy.
Why is my goat unhappy?
Because Abbott, Brough, Pompous Git Brandis et al are getting up my goat, that’s why.
On conversing with my goat, he told me why he is unhappy and I didn’t have to venture too much to figure what the problem is.
Rabbott’s Roadshow is already building up a head of steam. His ‘mini campagne’ is starting to move out of the roundhouse and already Gruppenfurher Von Rupertshocker © (Fill of Frankston 2013) already has the fertiliser spreaders firing up.
Now, goat wants to know…… “Where are the ALP Media ‘Advisors’ and when will they get off their pathetic arses and match the Rabbott Trappers word for word? Yeah, I know, a pointless question with a piss poor answer but I have to give my goat SOME hope.
Must be some sort of miscommunication problem with myself and Queensland’s only daily newspaper that is delivered in hard copy across the State.
I keep asking the Courier Mail why no questions are being asked of State LNP elected Members of the Qld. parliament and Federal LNP candidate Mal Brough into the much discredited sexual harassment case bought against the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, a Queenslander, by another Queenslanders (James Ashby) which also involves the Deputy Opposition Leader as well as a Shadow Minister.
Must be some kind of miscommunication.
Should give plenty of laughs if this “Comment” gets posted.
ROFL
I was surprised by Ita Buttrose’s comment after hearing her on this interview in July 2012. Toward the end of the audio she defends Julia and admonishes Germaine Greer for her comments. http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/breakfast/passionate-about-publishing-ita-buttrose/4106398
Come on – there has to be a Walkley Award in whoever in the media is first to break ranks and drag this out into the sunlight for all to see.
I foolishly hoped that the ABC would do a 4 Corners expose on the role of the Opposition in the Slipper/Thomson smear campaigns but then remembered that they were complicit in Brough’s own Intervention fraud during the Howard era.
Also, whatever happened to the promised Commonwealth Police investigation into the fake Kennett/Howard letter that caused Keating so much embarrassment and helped Howard over the line in 1996?
It seems not to matter who is running the country – the media own it regardless.
http://www.fedcourt.gov.au/case-management-services/access-to-files-and-transcripts/court-documents/ashby-v-commonwealth/ashby-commonwealth-of-australia/2-Oct-2012-Book-of-Evidence-Part1.pdf
(Affidavit of Graham David Russell, SC – long-time LNP figure)
See paragraphs 30 to 40 inclusive:
* Brough rang Russell on or about 29 March after speaking with Ashby.
* Brough and Russell arranged a meeting with Ashby at Russell’s Sunchine Coast home on Good Friday 2012.
* Brough was present at that meeting between Ashby and Russell; Doane also appeared at that meeting after parking the car.
See also text messages 15200 to 15221:
http://www.fedcourt.gov.au/case-management-services/access-to-files-and-transcripts/court-documents/ashby-v-commonwealth/ashby-commonwealth-of-australia/2-Oct-2012-Book-of-Evidence-Annexure.pdf
* Russell charged Ashby the sum of $1 for legal advice, and Doane was charged $4 (Russell’s clients with big outstanding legal bills, take note!)
I liked this part of the Russell affidavit (from paragraph 35):
“… as noted above, that approach to issues involving possible corruption had led to the events which caused my Party so much difficulty in the 1980s. …”
Haw haw haw.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/in-depth/ashby-delays-fair-work-case-against-slipper/story-fndckad0-1226564580958
Well I reckon this might have come about thanks to Vince and Margo.
Great stuff IA
The Coppers will do stuff all.
Would be interesting to see 7 cops turn up to interview him then force him to a strip search ?
Or is that only for Labor or former Labor pollies ?
Thanks Vince and Margo for great stuff, but don’t hold your breathe waiting on the cops
Cornlegend, I have to agree with you. I am currently watching Our ABC 24 presenters getting very giddy with the polling results. During my walk at 5 AM this morning they talked about the shock resignations as if they really were.
The AshbyGate matter has been well and truly buried by our politically activist MSM hellbent on regime change. They want an election before the May Budget so that their beloved Abbott and his goons can escape scrutiny about their silly policies and dodgy costings.
Like the compromised NSW and VIC police I cannot not see the QLD police under “Can do” Newman’s rule act on Brough. The MSM refuse to ask Abbott any ‘character questions’ about his unflinching support for Brough.
I am watching some twitt on ABC24 berating Fairfax for not running a poll at this time. We can see what the MSM is all about in their polling discussion frenzy. They are gleeful how many people are influenced by their lies, distortions and their crap that passes for reporting and political commentary.
Hark. I hust heard this twit mention a Rudd challenge. Gee, that is one story the MSM won’t let go of.
We have an election date and all these LNP and their MSM collaborators want to talk about are personalies and to character assassinate the PM. There certainly won’t be any mention of Abbott dumping Gillard’s policies such as the school bonus and superannuation tax breaks for low income earners.
Please join me this Monday morning in a big mutual vomit session as our democratic rights for truth disintergrates before our eyes.
Yeah Ron,
All I heard today was “a possible Rudd challenge” and the “3 Alp pollies deserting the sinking ship” and the turmoil of the two Ministers resigntions.
No mention of the TEN LNP members not contesting the election
and the little Mad Monk acting all Prime Ministorial.
Sorry Tony, ya can’t polish a turd !
Just curious,
Has IA or Vince had ANY response from the Queensland Police ?
Ned Kelly famously said
“I would like to know who put that article that reminds me of a poodle dog half clipped in the lion fashion called Brooke E Smith Superintendent of Police he knows as much about commanding Police as Captain Standish does about mustering mosquitoes and boiling them down for their fat on the back blocks of the Lachlan for he has a head like a turnip a stiff neck as big as his shoulders narrow hipped and pointed towards the feet like a vine stake….”
Transpose the current Commissioner of Police’s name and it still sounds relevant
or again from Ned
again transpose your State of choice
“also who has no alternative only to put up with the brutal and cowardly conduct off a parcel of big ugly fat-necked wombat headed big bellied magpie legged narrow hipped splaw-footed sons of Irish Bailiffs or english landlords which is better known as Officers of Justice or Victorian Police who some call honest gentlemen.
[...] our last article about Mal Brough and the questions he hasn’t answered, we quoted many journalists on Twitter [...]
[...] Australia sent a letter to the Queensland Police Commissioner requesting that they investigate what appeared to be prima [...]