COMMONWEALTH lawyers have cast doubts on the motives of James Ashby, the staffer who accused Peter Slipper of sexual harassment and rorting taxi expenses, saying his case appears designed to maximise media coverage and that there was no initial attempt at conciliation.

In a statement filed in the Federal Court last night, the lawyers say there were ''a number of ways'' for Mr Ashby to settle his grievances with Mr Slipper and they dispute his claim he had to go straight to the court because the matter was ''urgent''.

The statement said he made no attempt to warn Mr Slipper, any other federal employee or any relevant government department that he intended to commence proceedings seeking damages for breach of contract.



It said he filed an application unsupported by affidavit or statement of claim at 4.30pm on April 20, and it was the first time Mr Slipper knew of complaints.

Lawyers suggest the story was given to the tabloids at the same time or soon after to enable it to be splashed all over the front page the next day and put online.

They also point out that when Mr Ashby withdrew the claims of Cabcharge misuse this week, the media were informed before Mr Slipper.

The lawyers responded on the same day that Mr Ashby lodged a separate complaint in the Australian Human Rights Commission against the Foreign Minster, Bob Carr, and the Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce for questioning the authenticity of his claims.

Neither Senator Joyce nor Senator Carr was perturbed. Senator Joyce said he was not taking sides and Mr Ashby ''can do what he likes''.

Through his lawyers, Mr Ashby said senators Carr and Joyce ''should leave it to the court to pass judgment'' on Mr Ashby's allegations and ''should not use their high office to demean our client for their political ends or otherwise''.

Early this month, Senator Carr implied Mr Ashby's claims were politically motivated. He tweeted ''This Ashby seems more rehearsed than a Kabuki actor''.

In an interview with the Herald, Senator Joyce cast doubt on Mr Ashby's bona fides after it emerged he met three times with Mr Slipper's sworn political enemy, the former Howard government minister Mal Brough.

Senator Joyce said if Mr Brough was ''going to play marriage guidance counsellor'', he should have heard both sides of the story before advising Mr Ashby on what action to take.

He said Mr Ashby ''seems only slightly less dodgy than Slipper''


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/ashbys-motives-over-slipper-allegations-dubious-say-lawyers-20120517-1ytnw.html#ixzz1vAe73xWZ

The fact the Cabcharge allegations were raised in Mr Ashby's originating application has already prompted the Australian Federal Police to launch an investigation into the use of travel entitlements by Mr Slipper, the Speaker of federal Parliament, which could still result in separate criminal charges.

In a statement last night Mr Ashby's media adviser said ''by continuing to include the Cabcharge issues in the civil action, once a formal criminal investigation is underway, could be detrimental to Mr Ashby's civil claim, by significantly delaying it until the conclusion of the potential criminal matters''.

I don't think that it is, skippy. He has only dropped the cab charge accusations, nothing else. I wish that people would have some more compassion for the young man. We don't know what he's suffered, and he may be really depressed and distraught. Shame on Carr and Joyce for their insensitive comments.

I don't think that it is, skippy. He has only dropped the cab charge accusations, nothing else. I wish that people would have some more compassion for the young man. We don't know what he's suffered, and he may be really depressed and distraught. Shame on Carr and Joyce for their insensitive comments.

skippy. wrote on May 18^th, 2012 at 1:30pm:


Where? I've read every single message in the court documents that are freely available online and not one even insinuates flirtation on Ashby's side. You have a vivid imagination!