lisa.greek wrote on May 16
th, 2012 at 10:29am:
It would be fair IF the thread were discussing Thomson and Abbott. But it isn't - it is discussing Slipper and Abbott both of whom are now caught up in civil court actions. Slipper stood aside to allow due process in the courts. Why isn't Abbott?
One reason, the essential reason is that Slipper is accused in his capacity
as Speaker and as such, Ashby's boss. Ashby is accusing Slipper of misconduct
in his position as Parliamentary Speaker and therefore the Commonwealth's agent, as it were, towards his staff. If you have a look, Slipper and the Commonwealth are the
co-respondents to Ashby's accusations.
Slipper is also subject to criminal investigations by the police in relation to misuse of funds. Ashby has left this out of his final deposition only because the criminal ivestigations have been set in train by the police and so Ashby doesn't need to take it up in his own civil case.
In Abbott's case, it's Abbott and a news channel. In other words, Abbott is not accused in his capacity as a parliamentarian but as an ordinary person.