news, federal-politics

The Australian Federal Police has dropped its investigation into the copying of former speaker Peter Slipper's official diary and won't charge controversial former MP Mal Brough or staffer James Ashby. Police raided the homes of Mr Brough and Mr Ashby, now chief of staff to One Nation senator Pauline Hanson, in November 2015. Mr Slipper said on Tuesday his lawyers has been informed by AFP assistant commissioner Shane Connelly that the investigation had been closed. In a letter, Mr Connelly said a review found the available evidence was insufficient for any potential prosecution. A one-time staffer for Mr Slipper, Mr Ashby accused his former boss of sexual harassment, sparking Mr Slipper's sensational resignation as speaker in 2012. Police raided Mr Ashby's home in 2014, seeking diary and phone records, photographs, correspondence, notes, travel records and other information related to the case. Mr Ashby approached Mr Brough, a former Howard government minister and special minister of state, for advice before making allegations of sexual harassment against Mr Slipper. The sexual harassment case was dropped in 2014, after Mr Slipper lost his seat at the 2013 election. Mr Brough stood down from the Turnbull government ministry in 2015 pending the outcome of the investigation, but he later announced he would quit federal politics just one term after winning Mr Slipper's former Queensland seat of Fisher. An AFP spokeswoman said "material" had been provided to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions but as a result of the advice back "the matter did not proceed further". "The length of this investigation has been influenced by a number of factors, including, but not limited to the availability of individuals to provide statements, the provision of materials from third parties, and the substantial volume of material that needed to be assessed," the spokeswoman said. "The AFP now considers this matter finalised." Mr Slipper declined to comment. Mr Ashby told Fairfax Media he was yet to receive notification from his lawyer that the investigation had been wound up. "My understanding is it would be the same as what Mr Brough has received," he said. "I have certainly notified my lawyer who is on holidays at the moment and I have no doubt his office will have received word." Mr Ashby said the case was a waste of police resources and taxpayers' money. "I have said from the beginning I was always willing to with the police to put this to bed sooner rather than later. "This is now a two year investigation into a matter that was a vexatious claim from the Labor Party and by Peter Slipper." In May, the AFP won the right to use text messages and phone calls between Mr Slipper and Mr Ashby after a court found "a legitimate public interest". In that case, it emerged Mr Ashby had made copies of Mr Slipper's official diary, which were then sent to Mr Brough and former News Corp journalist Steve Lewis, with the intention of using them to show Mr Slipper had misused his government-issued Cabcharge vouchers. Mr Ashby's case against Mr Slipper was thrown out of court as an abuse of process before an appeal court declared it should be heard. In June 2014, Mr Ashby dropped the suit less than a fortnight before the trial was to start after "deep reﬂection and consultation".

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