NEWS Limited and one of its journalists were involved in an elaborate plot to bring down parliamentary Speaker Peter Slipper, according to documents filed with the Federal Court.
The documents expose private communication between News political correspondent Steve Lewis and Mr Slipper’s former staff member James Ashby, including one in which Lewis says: ”We will get him.”
The documents also reveal that News – the Australian arm of Rupert Murdoch’s media empire – paid for Mr Ashby to stay in a Sydney hotel and meet Lewis on April 10 this year. In one text, the reporter told Mr Ashby: ”I will sort out payment”, and: ”Just tell hotel to book u in again and News will sort”.
The documents, filed by lawyers for Mr Slipper and the Commonwealth and provided to Fairfax Media, accuse Mr Ashby of orchestrating a ”calculated, duplicitous and deceitful scheme” to harm Mr Slipper.
It is further alleged that Mr Ashby’s scheme was aimed at benefiting the Liberal National Party in Queensland and former Howard minister Mal Brough, who is seeking preselection for Mr Slipper’s seat of Fisher at the next federal election.
The documents claim Mr Ashby gave stolen extracts from Mr Slipper’s diary to Mr Brough. It is alleged he ”unlawfully communicated and sent extracts of the diary kept by or on behalf of Mr Slipper … to Brough”.
The documents were filed in response to the court case launched by Mr Ashby, who is suing Mr Slipper and the Commonwealth, claiming the Speaker made unwelcome advances and sent him sexually suggestive text messages.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/we-will-get-him-news-named-in-slipper-case-20120626-210pb.html#ixzz1ywH8WSxu
