{"id":21831,"date":"2014-09-08T21:44:28","date_gmt":"2014-09-08T11:44:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nofibs.com.au\/?p=21831"},"modified":"2019-04-13T23:56:32","modified_gmt":"2019-04-13T13:56:32","slug":"dear-afp-please-investigate-ashbygate-at-last-sincerely-grahamperrettmp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/dear-afp-please-investigate-ashbygate-at-last-sincerely-grahamperrettmp\/","title":{"rendered":"Dear AFP, please investigate #Ashbygate at last, sincerely @GrahamPerrettMP"},"content":{"rendered":"

8 September 2014<\/strong>
\nMr Tony Negus<\/strong>
\nCommissioner<\/strong>
\nAustralian Federal Police<\/strong>
\nGPO Box 401<\/strong>
\nCANBERRA ACT 2601<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dear Mr Negus<\/del>\u00a0Tony,<\/p>\n

Re: Potential Commission of Criminal Offences by the Honourable Mal Brough MP<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. \u00a0I refer to the attached correspondence in relation to this matter dated 21 December,\u00a02012 and 19 March, 2013 containing information alleging criminal offences may
\nhave been committed by the Honourable Mal Brough MP.<\/p>\n

2. \u00a0These potential offences came to light during the proceedings brought by Mr JamesAshby against Mr Peter Slipper in the Federal Court, which proceedings have now
\nbeen discontinued by Mr Ashby.<\/p>\n

3. On 23 June, 2014 you indicated by letter that as the Full Bench of the Federal Court\u00a0had overturned the interlocutory Federal Court ruling of Justice Rares you would not
\nbe undertaking any further evaluation of the allegations raised and would finalise\u00a0this matter.<\/p>\n

4. \u00a0It was my previous submission to you, and one that I continue to make, that the role\u00a0of the Australian Federal Police in investigating the criminal allegations which I raised
\nin December 2012 should be separate and distinct from the appeal proceedings andit is appropriate that those investigations continue independently regardless of the
\noutcome of any appeal.<\/p>\n

5. In particular, there is new and compelling evidence concerning the allegations raised\u00a0with you concerning Mr Brough.<\/p>\n

NEW AND SIGNIFICANT EVIDENCE – 60 MINUTES INTERVIEW WITH MR ASHBY<\/strong><\/p>\n

6. \u00a0Mr James Ashby, after discontinuing his legal proceedings notwithstanding the\u00a0outcome of the appeal, has given an interview with Liz Hayes in the television show
\n“60 Minutes” which was aired on Channel Nine on 7 September, 2014.<\/p>\n

7. \u00a0The interview has revealed information which, importantly, was not put before the Federal Court or the Full Bench of the Federal Court.<\/p>\n

Admission by the Honourable Mal Brough MP<\/strong><\/p>\n

8. \u00a0As previously indicated to you, the material provided to the court indicated that the\u00a0Hon. Mal Brough MP procured Mr Ashby and MsDoane to provide unauthorised
\naccess to Mr Slipper’s official diary. During the 60 Minutes episode featuring James\u00a0Ashby, the Hon. Mal Brough MP was also interviewed. During that interview he
\nadmitted that he had procured Mr Ashby to provide copies of Mr Slipper’s diaries for\u00a0him. The relevant part of the interview is:-<\/p>\n

Liz Hayes<\/strong>: “Did you ask James Ashby to procure copies of Peter Slipper’s
\ndiary for you?”
\nThe Hon. Mal Brough MP<\/strong>: “Yes I did.”<\/p>\n

9. That conduct could constitute a serious crime. Potentially such conduct could\u00a0breach s478.1 Criminal Code (unauthorised access to restricted data) and s70 Crimes
\nAct 1914 (unauthorised disclosure of information by Commonwealth officers).<\/p>\n

CONCLUSION<\/strong><\/p>\n

10. \u00a0The information revealed in the “60 Minutes” interview was not before Justice Rares\u00a0at first instance or before the Full Court on appeal.<\/p>\n

11. There are serious penalties attached to the abovementioned crimes. As Mr Brough\u00a0is a serving member of parliament any possible or potential criminality on his part is
\nof especial significance and would have ramifications for the House of\u00a0Representatives of the Commonwealth Parliament.<\/p>\n

12. I again ask the Australian Federal Police to urgently conduct a formal investigation to\u00a0determine whether Mr Brough has committed any criminal offences, particularly in
\nlight of this new information. I ask the Australian Federal Police to prepare a Brief of\u00a0Evidence for referral to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), if appropriate.<\/p>\n

13. \u00a0I would urge the Australian Federal Police to proceed with its investigation\u00a0immediately, especially given the risk of disappearance of vital evidence.
\nThank you once again for taking the time to investigate this very serious matter.<\/p>\n

Yours Sincerely,<\/p>\n

Graham Perrett MP<\/strong>
\n Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Attorney General<\/strong>
\n Federal Member for Moreton<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

CC Commander Errol Raiser<\/strong>
\nManager Special References<\/strong>
\nGPO Box 401<\/strong>
\nCANBERRA CITY ACT 2601<\/strong><\/p>\n