The Ashby Affair Archive

The radicalisation of a future prime minister.

Welcome to the new Australian senate where Malcolm Roberts, from Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party was elected the 12th Senator for Queensland with just 77 Primary votes, according to the AEC. As the second candidate on the party group ticket he received ticket votes after Pauline Hanson was elected, and preferences from other parties and […]

Blog along as we cover the long Australian election campaign for 2016. Table of contents Jump to comments section. Mal’s Panama Papers. Saving Albo. Pies and Toast. Battleground Queensland. To the Governor General. . (May 12, 2016) Day 5 – Mal’s Panama Papers Siberian gold mines and Mossack Fonseca Elise Worthington reported, “Prime Minister Malcolm […]

A few weeks ago Ross Jones and Dave Donovan, of Independent Australia, sent me messages asking me to review Ross’s book on the Ashbygate saga. Despite being as crook as Rookwood I was more than happy to agree, and in due course a copy appeared in my letterbox. I was in the middle of reading […]

  I wish someone would help Mal Brough understand at least one thing. The Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia in their 27th February 2014 decision on the Ashby appeal of the Rares J decision is NOT about him. It is about whether the primary judge, Justice Rares, appropriately made an interlocutory order […]

The Ashby Affair is like a zombie, one of the undead. You can’t kill it with an axe. It just keeps on walking, slowly and inexorably, towards those who were involved in this sorry saga. While Mal Brough remains in Parliament the issue of his role in the tawdry affair will not go away. Brough’s […]

What? Mal Brough is our Special Minister of State? Excuse me? Like so many Australians, I was filled with an unbearable lightness of being on the removal of Tony Abbott and with hope that a new era of honest, policy-based politics had begun. Yes, there was a little niggle when I saw Brough alongside Turnbull […]

8 September 2014 Mr Tony Negus Commissioner Australian Federal Police GPO Box 401 CANBERRA ACT 2601   Dear Mr Negus Tony, Re: Potential Commission of Criminal Offences by the Honourable Mal Brough MP 1.  I refer to the attached correspondence in relation to this matter dated 21 December, 2012 and 19 March, 2013 containing information alleging criminal […]

Any matter involving Peter Slipper, it appears, is always going to be complicated. A simple Mention before the Federal Circuit Court this week proved to be no different. Instead of just setting dates for hearings to commence, the court ended-up with a new version of a legal soap opera. In front of Judge Manousaridis, legal […]

By Joan Evatt 28 February 2014 In a majority decision of the Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia Justices Mansfield and Gilmour granted James Ashby the leave to appeal and upheld that appeal thereby overturning the decision of Rares J. A minority decision by Siopis J granted Ashby leave to appeal and then dismissed […]

By Margo Kingston  @margokingston1 27 February 2014 Soon after I took to Twitter in late 2012 I was horrified by the decision of the Daily Telegraph to bury its report of the December 12 Rares judgement dismissing James Ashby’s sexual harassment action against Peter Slipper as an abuse of Court process. The paper screamed headlines when […]

Update 15 July, 2013 FINANCE STATEMENT ON SLIPPER SUMMONS: Pyne wrong on Lateline In the light of a media report this week which contradicted my report that someone other than the Finance Department referred the 2010 travel claim by Slipper to the AFP which resulted in his prosecution I emailed the Finance Department for clarification.This […]

Margo: In part five of our series on new political activists, the man who inspired the formation of the Ashbygate Trust tells the why and how of it. By Brock Turner (@Turlow1) 2 July 2013 So how do you get complete strangers to commit more than $50,000 in two weeks, and what would prompt you […]

By Joan Evatt @NoFibs legal writer May 13, 2013 The last time I entered a courtroom, nearly 28 years ago, I was so heavily pregnant I waddled rather than walked. I was a character witness for a work colleague discovered driving without a licence.  On that occasion I exchanged heated words with the Prosecutor, a pompous […]

By Joan Evatt May 3, 2013 It was Peter Slipper’s turn today in Day 2 of the Ashby v Slipper Appeal. Slipper was represented by well-known Sydney silk, Ian Neil SC. He had to wait for twenty minutes or so while Michael Lee SC endeavoured to add further to his submissions from yesterday. The issues Lee […]

By Margo Kingston May 3, 2013 Mr Anthony McClellan followed me this morning, after I tweeted on the #Ashby appeal. His invitation to talk. So I threw him some questions and he threw me some answers. We’ve published the interview for the record here. It is interesting that he chose to speak for Ashby lawyers Harmers […]

By Joan Evatt May 3, 2013 With the exception of Michael Harmer all the key players were there for the media to take quick photos and 15-second video grabs. Peter Slipper and James Ashby are starting to look a little frayed around the edges as they prepare to endure yet another round in this legal […]

By Joan Evatt April 29, 2013 Editors note: Here is Joan’s preview of the appeals by Ashby and his lawyer Michael Harmer against the Justice Rares’ dismissal of Ashby’s sexual harassment claim against Slipper as an abuse of the judicial system. Joan will report the hearing for @NoFibs.  Her first report is here. Just when you think […]

[clear] By Margo Kingston March 20, 2013 EXCLUSIVE Graham Perrett has written to the AFP demanding it resume its investigation into possible criminal activity surrounding the court action by James Ashby against the then Speaker of the House of Representatives Peter Slipper. He has also added Liberal Senator Eric Abetz to  the list of people the […]

By Nancy Cato February 17, 2013 Yes – silly isn’t it. I feel rather foolish making this awful public confession that I’ve sort of lost my Aunty, but it’s a fact – if a fact can be ‘sort of’. Anyway, I do my share of complaining about the lack of any sort of facts in […]

By Joan Evatt Source: Boeufblogginon February 8th 2013 There were surprisingly few members of the general public present at today’s directions hearing before Emmett J in the matter of the Ashby v Slipper applications for leave to appeal to the Full Bench of the Federal Court. Is this issue dead in the water with the masses […]

A long, day for Mal Brough, from ‘up yours’ fluff to, well…. The Courier Mail had a soft  story on Mal Brough where they forgot to do journalism and ask the hard questions. Margo Kingston‘s incredulous reaction to the Courier Mail fluff piece came via Twitter” Brough delighted to take @couriermail call, No hard #Ashby ? […]

PYNE #ASHBY TWISTER: Can anyone draft a @QandA question Pyne can't find a way not to answer? http://t.co/4F1B9Shv — 📣Margo Kingston💧🔥 (@margokingston1) February 2, 2013 Mr Pyne, do you condone the theft of diaries from MPs? If not what action should be taken against people who request & receive stolen goods? What is your attitude to stealing the […]

Mr Pyne doorstop Adelaide February 3, 2013 Today the Prime Minister has serious questions to answer about how she intends to govern for the next seven months with what is clearly an unravelling government. The Prime Minister needs to confirm whether by elections will be held in the normal course of events, say within two […]

By Margo Kingston February 3, 2013 Last night and this morning I had an interesting twitter conversation with my former press gallery colleague Steve Lewis @lewiss50, who broke the story of Ashby’s court action. Twitter conversations can be higgildy piggildy because others jump in and it’s hard to keep track of the order of remarks. […]

Transcript Hon Christopher Pyne MP Doorstop 2 February 2013 SUBJECTS: Labor Government resignations; South Australian State Leadership E&OE………………………….. Pyne: Well thank you all for coming out to Kmart Firle in my electorate for my first campaigning day since the Prime Minister announced the election date on September 14. Of course despite the Prime Minister’s assurances […]

First Labor – Liberal media debate on the Ashby Affair: Lateline transcript February 2, David Bradbury-v-Christopher Pyne http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2013/s3681711.htm Margo Kingston comments in red DAVID BRADBURY: … Can I make the point, there is one word I would like to remind Chris of and that’s Ashby and his involvement in the Ashby affair, but more particularly […]

View as slideshow This is a story about the struggle to become one of the elite by doing their dirty deeds, collecting damaging information to hold power and getting rich along the way.  The moral of the story is : there are none, no morals that is. The lesson is: If you are not one, […]

January 31 Press Club review: There are many reasons why the Canberra Press Gallery is failing to fulfil its democratic role. A collapse in media revenues, 24 hour filing, no time to stay with a story and investigate it, an atmosphere which sees journos run from one ephemeral topic to another in waves, an exodus […]

Here is the full record of Margo Kingston’s Open Letter to the Sunshine Coast Daily editor Darren Burnett, his response and the subsequent Kathy Sundstrom article asking Mal Brough the AFHP questions. In the interview Mal Brough claims that he is unable to comment in detail on the Ashby matter because as he says: “The matter is […]

By Margo Kingston 22 January 2013 Two days ago Paula Matthewson, who tweets and blogs as @Dragonista, posted an open letter to the #AshbyInquiryNow campaign people challenging them on their strategy and aims. A stimulating discussion ensued in comments to her piece which showed that engaged citizens on the right, centre and left agreed that it was […]

By Margo Kingston Source: Independent Australia 18th January 2013 The media spent eight months vilifying Peter Slipper over the James Ashby accusations, but when the Federal Court ruled it was a political set-up — suddenly they weren’t interested. Margo Kingston comments on the scandal behind the conspiracy. Click on the image to see @geeksrulz‘s Storify: ‘The Daily Telegraph coverage […]

View as slideshow 00Share Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Pinterest Share on Google Share on Linkedin Share by email Imgur · Tue, Jan 01 2013 17:19:11 · Original link 12th December Justice Rares hands down his ruling Ashby v Commonwealth of Australia (No 4) [2012] FCA 1411 Ms Doane asked Mr Ashby […]

By Jane Cattermole 15th January 2013 Peter Slipper, for the latter part of his parliamentary career was much maligned and ridiculed by colleagues and members of the media alike. He was called a “turncoat”, a “rat”, ”Slippery” and was portrayed as “King Rat” on the front of a News Ltd tabloid complete with a digitally […]

Matty Horan explained on Twitter: @margokingston1 It’s called the Minchin protocol because he came up with it after repaying thousands in wrongly claimed travel exes in 1996. — Matt Horan (@mattyhoran) January 10, 2013 and @margokingston1 p2 Daily Tele 15 March 97. Minchin repaid $3150 for travel allowance wrongly claimed during 96 election. Avail on […]

By Noely Neate Source: YaThink Date: December 13th, 2012 Regional areas rely on National media to ensure that we get a very full picture of what is happening in the Nation and the World.  Living in a regional area can be great, more relaxed lifestyle, awesome place to bring up a family etc., the flipside is that […]

By Noely Neate Source: YaThink Date: December 13th, 2012 The day after Gillard’s (now famous) ‘misogyny’ speech I woke up thinking I was in the twilight zone.  Everyone I knew was amazed or affected in some way, yet, the morning news and papers barely referred to it, instead focussing on Slipper resigning?  I was seriously, WTF?  Thankfully […]

By Margo Kingston Source: Independent Australia January 3rd , 2013 AFTER THE PUBLICATION of my book Not Happy, John! in 2004, former Liberal Party staffer Christian Kerr, then political correspondent for Crikey, told me the ʻAustralians for Honest Politicsʼ chapter was dynamite, ʻthe most importantʼ in the book. “But it wonʼt get followed up,” I asked him, “will it?” “No,” […]

By Margo Kingston Source: New Matilda December 11, 2012 I blame the ABC for my initiation to Twitter. Or rather, I thank them, because the experience has been refreshing for this disillusioned ex-journo and long-time internet refugee. I happened to be watching ABC News 24 when Tony Abbott again confronted Julia Gillard about her role in the AWU affair on the […]

Subtlety lost By Craig Emerson Date: 24 December 2012 Source: Craig Emerson At Sydney University in the early 1970s a course simply called “Government” was offered to economics, arts and law students. It was a time of social upheaval and the election of the Whitlam Government had ended 23 years of conservative rule. The Murdoch press had […]

[View the story “Timeline for #AshbyConspiracy & Questions for #AshbyInquiry” on Storify] A Federal Court Judge has found a conspiracy by James Ashby, Karen Doane, Mal Brough to advance their own interest and that of the LNP. Mr Abbott maintains that he had no specific knowledge. Here is a timeline & questions. This timeline will […]

By Victoria Rollinson December 15, 2012 Source: victoriarollison.com The Watergate scandal was, apparently, rather big news at the time. People went to prison, the President of the USA was forced to resign and investigative reporters, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein became household names. Nixon’s Republican party came undone through a conspiracy to find dirt on their rivals […]

Quote of the Year 2012 is a tie between Ms Alberici and Mr Abbott: Emma Alberici: “Virtually every commentator in the land is echoing the thoughts of the Opposition on this one. “ Mr Abbott on #AshbyConspiracy: This is a tawdry state of affairs, to say the least.    This shows our esteemed mainstream media at work. […]

by Margo Kingston Source: Independent Australia.net 30th November, 2012 My mouth fell open when I heard Abbott’s final flourish in Thursday’s speech denouncing Gillard as unfit for office. I remembered, suddenly, vividly, Tony Abbott’s very own slush fund. Could he too have forgotten? It’s ancient history now, Abbott’s slush fund ― but less ancient than the slush […]