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the worm turns ....

the work turns ....

Ashbygate roars back into life as the Australian Federal Police raid James Ashby's house, looking for material relating to three Turnbull Government frontbenchers.

At 8am on Tuesday, 17th November, eight AFP detectives raided the property of James Ashby’s mother.

The semi-rural property on the outskirts of Beerwah plays host to a couple of businesses: James’ mum Colleen runs her hairdressing business, Cashmere Cuts, from there while James has set up his signwriting business, Newa Image Printing, in the back sheds.

There is no doubting the earnestness of the cops. They turned up armed to the teeth with a Channel 7 news crew, who kept us updated on the raid’s progress.

Channel 7 filmed and photographed the event, showing James had been wearing a dark polo shirt, lemon-coloured shorts and steel-capped boots when police arrived.

James Ashby, media shy that he is, agreed to talk to ABC Sunshine Coast immediately after the raid.

According to the ABC: Australian Federal Police went to the property at Beerwah on the Sunshine Coast this morning with a warrant for items that "relate to the diaries of Peter Slipper".

Ashby told the ABC: "They're looking for diary records, photographs, correspondence, notes, telecommunications records, travel records, accommodation records, postal records, receipts, spreadsheets, and newspaper articles that relate to the diaries of Peter Slipper."

And they must be pretty sure they’d find something, because, according to the Crimes Act 1914:

An issuing officer may issue a warrant to search premises if the officer is satisfied, by information on oath or affirmation, that there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that there is, or there will be within the next 72 hours, any evidential material at the premises.

Ashby also reportedly told the ABC: "Some of those people that they are looking for evidence of is communication with Christopher Pyne, Mal Brough, Wyatt Roy, along with Channel Nine and News Corp reporters."

James added hopefully: "So these guys today will have nothing new, I don't have copies of those diaries."

Maybe. But James does love a good file.

And there were other AFP targets, according to a report in the Courier Mail:

When asked about the search at Mr Ashby’s home, an AFP spokesman said: “The AFP can confirm search warrants were executed at residences on the Sunshine Coast today (Tuesday 17 November 2015). “As these warrants relate to an ongoing investigation, it is not appropriate to comment further.”

Note the plural, residences. That could be any number, but it is certainly more than one. It seems the AFP did not think it was a good idea to take a film crew on the other raids.

Wyatt Roy and Mal Brough both live on the Sunshine Coast. Karen Doane probably does too.

The ABC reported: The third condition of the warrant said there were "reasonable grounds for suspecting that they will afford evidence as to the commission of the following indictable offence(s)."

They include Mr Ashby allegedly accessing Mr Slipper's official diary, which is restricted data, without authorisation between March 23 and April 13, 2012.

Between those dates he also allegedly communicated or caused to be communicated the extracts to a third party without authority.

Mr Brough allegedly counselled and procured Mr Ashby to access and disclose the extracts and provide them to third parties without authority.

Karen Lynette Doane, who also worked for Mr Slipper, allegedly communicated or caused to be communicated extracts from the diary and provided them to third parties.

For all concerned, this is a dangerous thread to pull. If James unravels then Malcolm Brough, our Special Minister of State, will have serious PR problems.

As will Pyne and the others noted above.

I note the name Julie Bishop did not appear on the list — perhaps an accidental omission?

Might be a few others too.

In the great hairdressing tradition of gossip, I was at a party the other night when a woman told me her mum was one of Colleen’s regular clients. Well! Does Colleen know a few things or what? My friend said her mum said Colleen told her that after James took the job with Slipper he was constantly being called by the likes of Abbott and Pyne. Her boy had hit the big time.

This could get good.

The worm turns as the AFP raids Ashby over Brough, Pyne and Roy

 

the noose tightens...

 

The AFP warrant served on James Ashby signals the beginning of the end of the saga that is Ashbygate, a plot hatched deep inside Liberal HQ to sacrifice Australian democracy for its own twisted ends.

It is a cluster bomb with the power to rearrange Australian politics.

The warrant alleges Malcolm Thomas Brough, James Hunter Ashby, Karen Lynette Doane and Steve (no middle name) Lewis were all in breach of either the Crimes Act 1914 or Criminal Code of 1995. Or both.

Let’s start with Lewis and his then employer, News Ltd. It can be proven News paid for at least Ashby’s accommodation while he was in Sydney -

From the new Ashbygate book:


James was up bright and early on the morning of Wednesday 11 April, ready for a big day.

At 6.28 a.m. he asked Lewis:

'Hi Steve. Do u want me to check out before I leave for the lawyers or am staying another night in the same place?'

[Lewis replied:] 'Hi mate No stay another night OK? I will sort out paymeent etc Just tell hotel to book u in again and News will sort'

[Ashby:] 'Ok cheers for that'

The warrant served on Ashby today by the AFP makes interesting reading. pic.twitter.com/bpwAeCGDpD

— Dave Donovan (@davrosz) November 17, 2015

If it can be proven that Ashby, a Commonwealth official, had benefited from or was influenced by these payments to leak details of Slipper’s diary, that would be a breach of Section 142.1(1) of the Criminal Code 1995 which is concerned with;

'141.1  Bribery of a Commonwealth public official'

If found guilty, Lewis could face up to 5 years in prison.

I spoke with Steve Lewis this afternoon. He reckons he hadn’t seen the warrant, just read about it. I offered to read it to him. He said he was in a meeting and was busy. I wished him luck.

It could cramp News’ style as well. While it is not mentioned in the warrant, Lewis’ phrase ‘News will sort’ makes it  seem pretty clear what happened.

If found guilty, a corporation can be fined 10% of its turnover for the year following the offence. That would hurt.

 

#qldpol #auspol @Davrosz: "The Sad Story Of Steve ‘scoop’ Lewis" - http://t.co/U3ZW6RNO

— David Marler (@Qldaah) February 10, 2013

The warrant also alleges Ashby was in breach of the Crimes Act 1914 when he gave extracts of Slipper’s diary to ‘third parties without authority’. Section 70 concerns unauthorised disclosure by public officers. Penalty? Two years in a green t-shirt.

The warrant also alleges Ashby was in breach of Section 478.1 of the Criminal Code 1995 when he accessed data in Slipper’s diary without authorisation. That would be another two.

I tried calling James a few times, but my calls went straight through to the keeper.

Karen could also be playing the lead role in her own personal version of Prisoner if she goes down for breaching S70 of the Crimes Act 1914 when she passed on Slipper’s diary information without authority.

And that brings us to Malcolm Thomas Brough, accused by the AFP of counselling and procuring Ashby to both access restricted data and to disclose diary extracts.


I can't fault Mal Brough for his involvement in my case. A morally strong bloke regardless of media accusations. #Auspol #MalBrough

— James Ashby (@jamesashby) October 2, 2015

These alleged offences are in breach of S70(1) of the Crimes Act 1995 by virtue of S11(2) of the Criminal Code Act 1995, which says:

'A person who aids, abets, counsels or procures the commission of an offence by another person is taken to have committed that offence and is punishable accordingly.'

and Section 478.1 of the Criminal Code 1995, which is concerned with

'Unauthorised access to, or modification of, restricted data'.

All up, maybe four years.


Frivolous raid by federal police ☑️ bucket list almost complete.

— James Ashby (@jamesashby) November 17, 2015

Blind optimism I know, but if this warrant leads to formal charges and, thence, to convictions, it will change the landscape.

Such as:

  • News Ltd could risk 10% of annual turnover which might just blunt its bullying, childlike aggression.
  • Pauline Hanson would have to walk.
  • Doane, Lewis, Ashby and Brough will have plenty of time to reflect on their folly.
  • Everyone will try to save themselves by blabbing.
  • The Coalition will then implode.

Now the MSM are so over the shock of the AFP Ashby raid they’ve buried it. I reside in NSW and have heard nothing today on any news bulletin, nothing in the print Sydney Morning Herald, no mention in the Rupert local comic strip, the Daily Telegraph.

But no matter, things are moving along fine. 

Ross Jones is author of the new book 'ASHBYGATE: THE PLOT TO DESTROY AUSTRALIA'S SPEAKER', which can be ordered HERE and also via selected independent bookstores.

 

read more: https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/the-ashby-raid-and-the-potential-charges,8395

 

This could also cramp the style of the PR machine that helped Ashby destroy Slipper...

 

special indeed ....

Special minister of state Brough confirms he was visited by Australian federal police investigating the leak of the former Speaker’s diary

The Turnbull government minister Mal Brough has handed over documents to Australian federal police officers investigating the leak of the former Speaker Peter Slipper’s diary.

Brough, the special minister of state, issued a statement on Thursday saying he was willing to meet with the AFP to discuss claims relating to his contact with Slipper’s former staffer James Ashby.

“I can confirm reports that the AFP visited me on Tuesday requesting any documentation relating to allegations involving the disclosure of diary notes of Mr Slipper,” Brough said.

Warrant suggests federal police are investigating Mal Brough over diary leak

Former staffer for Peter Slipper, James Ashby, says police searched home for communications between him and Coalition MPs Christopher Pyne, Mal Brough or Wyatt Roy

“I can also confirm that I provided the exact same material to the AFP as I previously provided to the federal court. Furthermore I advised the AFP that I would be happy to meet with them at any time in the future if need be.”

Guardian Australia revealed in September that the AFP was actively investigating the alleged unauthorised disclosure of Slipper’s diaries, a year after receiving a complaint about the issue.

The controversy was revived in September 2014 when the Nine Network’s 60 Minutes program broadcast a segment on the events that led to the downfall of Slipper in 2012.

The Labor MP Graham Perrett wrote to the AFP the day after the program went to air, pointing to Brough’s response when the journalist Liz Hayes asked: “Did you ask James Ashby to procure copies of Peter Slipper’s diary for you?”

Brough replied: “Yes I did.”

The AFP also searched Ashby’s parents’ home on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast on Tuesday. “As these warrants relate to an ongoing investigation, it is not appropriate to comment further,” the AFP said at the time.

A one-page extract of the warrant, published by the Australian newspaper, suggests the AFP is investigating whether Brough “counselled and procured” Ashby to disclose extracts from Slipper’s 2009 to 2012 official diary and provide those extracts to third parties without authority “contrary to section 70(1) of the Crimes Act 1914 by virtue of Section 11(2) of the Criminal Code 1995”.

It also suggests the AFP is investigating whether Brough “counselled and procured” Ashby to access restricted data “contrary to section 478.1 of the Criminal Code 1995 by virtue of section 11(2) of the Criminal Code 1995”.

In media interviews after being sworn in to Malcolm Turnbull’s ministry in September 2015, Brough defended his conduct, saying the claims about the diary were a “misunderstanding”.

He wrote to the prime minister on 25 September to assure him that the Australian federal police had not approached him. “My solicitor has contacted the AFP and, on the advice available to me, I can confirm that I am not under investigation,” he wrote at the time.

“If approached, I would, of course, cooperate with the AFP.”

Ashby launched a sexual harassment case against Slipper, then speaker of the House of Representatives in 2012, which led to Slipper standing aside and ultimately resigning from the key parliamentary position.

In December 2012, the federal court judge Steven Rares threw out the case on the grounds of abuse of process, finding Ashby had launched proceedings “to pursue a political attack against Mr Slipper” and had acted “in combination” with another staffer and Brough.

Rares’s orders were subsequently set aside, but Ashby ultimately decided against continuing with the case.

Mal Brough hands documents to AFP in Peter Slipper investigation