Tracing the Telecard affair

By Margo Kingston and Mike Seccombe Source: Webdiary SMH Date: October 22nd, 2000 DAY ONE Tuesday, October 10 The Canberra Times reveals a Federal Police investigation into Peter Reith’s $50,000 phone bill after he gave his number and PIN to son Paul for private calls. Howard says Reith revealed the fraud to him in May, […]

Tony Abbott’s Slush Fund

By Margo Kingston Source: NewMatilda 11 December 2012 This week New Matilda is republishing journalist Margo Kingston’s investigation into Tony Abbott’s own slush fund. Here she explains why the story needs to be pursued as strongly as the AWU case against Julia Gillard I blame the ABC for my initiation to Twitter. Or rather, I thank them, […]

In Politics, Slush Happens

By Mike Seccombe Source: The Global Mail November 29, 2012 Extract 1: Abbott insisted the whole thing was done at his own initiative, and that neither John Howard nor anyone else in the government had been involved. Said Abbott in our interview: “There was myself and two other trustees. We raised … it may not have been […]

Abbott faces questions over Hanson slush fund

Source: The 730 Report ABC TV 26 August 2003 KERRY O’BRIEN: Welcome to the program. A political furore has erupted over revelations that one of the Howard Government’s most senior ministers, Tony Abbott, set up a slush fund to pay for legal challenges to Pauline Hanson and her party, One Nation. Despite repeated denials back […]

A question of character?

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 […]

Tony Abbott’s unholy dealings with the AEC

By Christian Kerr Source: Crikey 30th December 204 Has Tony Abbott been protected by some slip-shod work at the Australian Electoral Commission? Read on. Yours truly is a friend of Margo Kingston’s, but when I reviewed Not Happy John in July I had the following to say: “Margo pinpoints everything that’s wrong with the Howard Government – but, […]

Abbott set up slush fund to ruin Hanson

Abbott set up slush fund to ruin Hanson By Mike Seccombe Source: SMH August 26, 2003 One of the Howard Government’s most senior ministers last night revealed he raised nearly $100,000 to lay the groundwork for Pauline Hanson’s prosecution for electoral fraud. The Minister for Workplace Relations, Tony Abbott, admitted setting up a trust, Australians for […]

Michelle Grattan: Abbott has his own slushy history

By Michelle Grattan Source: Fairfax December 2, 2012 MANY readers will recall Margo Kingston, a deft hand at investigative reporting and a pioneer of interactive journalism through her Webdiary. Margo left the trade a while ago and is studying nursing, interested in specialising in palliative care. But last week, watching from afar the AWU affair unfolding, she […]

Honest Politics archive

Source: Margo Kingston Webdiary Australian Financial Review 27th of April 2004, Page 8 Advice, but no action on Abbott Mark Davis, Political correspondent The Australian Electoral Commission received legal advice last year that it was possible Health Minister Tony Abbott breached electoral laws by failing to disclose his backing of court action against Pauline Hanson […]