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| James Ashby pulls pin on legal action, but he had already sunk the Slipper | James Ashby pulls pin on legal action, but he had already sunk the Slipper |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| James Ashby has pulled the pin just as the comedy was about to start. In a fortnight’s time, the federal court was to begin deciding if the weirdly flirtatious relationship between the gay former PR for a strawberry farm and the then federal parliamentary Speaker, Peter Slipper, constituted sexual harassment. | James Ashby has pulled the pin just as the comedy was about to start. In a fortnight’s time, the federal court was to begin deciding if the weirdly flirtatious relationship between the gay former PR for a strawberry farm and the then federal parliamentary Speaker, Peter Slipper, constituted sexual harassment. |
| Not now. Wednesday’s announcement cancelling the bout came clothed in the rhetoric of deep reflection and emotional strain, but the key issue was money. There is nothing more to be squeezed out of Slipper. He’s sick and he’s broke. And there is no prospect of Ashby’s controversial law firm recouping the million dollars or more already spent bankrolling the case. | Not now. Wednesday’s announcement cancelling the bout came clothed in the rhetoric of deep reflection and emotional strain, but the key issue was money. There is nothing more to be squeezed out of Slipper. He’s sick and he’s broke. And there is no prospect of Ashby’s controversial law firm recouping the million dollars or more already spent bankrolling the case. |
| “All of those costs have been met by my lawyers, Harmers Workplace Lawyers,” said Ashby on Wednesday. “Their unflinching legal and moral support have allowed me to afford what otherwise would have been impossible. Harmers did this out of a genuine sense of social justice.” | “All of those costs have been met by my lawyers, Harmers Workplace Lawyers,” said Ashby on Wednesday. “Their unflinching legal and moral support have allowed me to afford what otherwise would have been impossible. Harmers did this out of a genuine sense of social justice.” |
| That was not the rosy view Justice Steven Rares took in December 2012 when he threw out Ashby’s case as an abuse of court designed to advance the interests of the Queensland Liberal National party and Mal Brough, the abrasive politician who was after Slipper’s seat on the Sunshine Coast. | That was not the rosy view Justice Steven Rares took in December 2012 when he threw out Ashby’s case as an abuse of court designed to advance the interests of the Queensland Liberal National party and Mal Brough, the abrasive politician who was after Slipper’s seat on the Sunshine Coast. |
| And Rares blasted Harmers for pursuing a strategy designed “to expose Mr Slipper to the maximum degree of vilification, opprobrium, sensation and scandal and cause maximum damage to his reputation to the political advantage of the LNP and Mr Brough”. | And Rares blasted Harmers for pursuing a strategy designed “to expose Mr Slipper to the maximum degree of vilification, opprobrium, sensation and scandal and cause maximum damage to his reputation to the political advantage of the LNP and Mr Brough”. |
| Ashby and the lawyers appealed, not with the hope of a pot of gold, but to restore their reputations. It worked. In February this year the full federal court took an approving view of Ashby and Harmers and by a vote of two to one restored the sexual harassment case to the lists. | Ashby and the lawyers appealed, not with the hope of a pot of gold, but to restore their reputations. It worked. In February this year the full federal court took an approving view of Ashby and Harmers and by a vote of two to one restored the sexual harassment case to the lists. |
| But what was the point of fighting it? Ashby’s allegations had ruined Slipper at a stroke. A great torpedo had been shot into the listing hulk of the Labor government. Brough had beaten off his party rivals to secure the seat of Fisher. | But what was the point of fighting it? Ashby’s allegations had ruined Slipper at a stroke. A great torpedo had been shot into the listing hulk of the Labor government. Brough had beaten off his party rivals to secure the seat of Fisher. |
| And Harmers could now go about its business unburdened by judicial criticism. | And Harmers could now go about its business unburdened by judicial criticism. |
| Ashby claimed boldly in his press release on Wednesday that the full federal court decided “the harassment had in fact occurred”. Not so. Two of the three judges found the young man’s complaints were sincere and the evidence was strong enough to put to a court to decide. That’s all. | Ashby claimed boldly in his press release on Wednesday that the full federal court decided “the harassment had in fact occurred”. Not so. Two of the three judges found the young man’s complaints were sincere and the evidence was strong enough to put to a court to decide. That’s all. |
| Slipper was in a strong position to fight the case tooth and nail. He’s broke but the commonwealth agreed in 2013 to pay his legal costs. He has deeper pockets even than Harmers to pay lawyers. So with nothing much to gain by victory, it is perhaps no wonder that Ashby and Harmers have run up the white flag. | Slipper was in a strong position to fight the case tooth and nail. He’s broke but the commonwealth agreed in 2013 to pay his legal costs. He has deeper pockets even than Harmers to pay lawyers. So with nothing much to gain by victory, it is perhaps no wonder that Ashby and Harmers have run up the white flag. |
| Reports have it that the old Speaker has been in and out of mental hospitals this year. His trials are not over. As a result of Ashby’s allegations Slipper is facing criminal charges over the possible misuse of Cabcharge vouchers to the value of about $1,000. | |
| And there are still sexual harassment complaints he has to face. Anthony McClellan, a spokesman for Ashby and Karen Doane, Slipper’s former press secretary, has confirmed to Guardian Australia that Doane is also suing Slipper and the commonwealth for sexual harassment. | |
| How touching it was to see Ashby express concern for Slipper’s state of mind. “I do not,” said his nemesis, “wish to continue lengthy proceedings that could potentially cause him great harm.” | How touching it was to see Ashby express concern for Slipper’s state of mind. “I do not,” said his nemesis, “wish to continue lengthy proceedings that could potentially cause him great harm.” |