Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Hansard source

Section 17 of the final report of the Joint Select Committee on Parliamentary Standards, under 'Complaints under this code', says:

Any attempt to intimidate or victimise a reporter/complainant or to lobby, influence or intimidate the IPSC (its office-holders, staff or contractors) will be treated as a serious and aggravated breach of this code.

I need to raise something very important here—the James Ashby case, which happened under Labor when Gillard was in here. James Ashby was sexually harassed by Peter Slipper, and this went before the courts. Evidence was proven of this sexual harassment. Because they needed Peter Slipper's vote and he was Speaker of the House of Representatives—Anthony Albanese was up to his neck in it and knew what was happening—Labor gave him an unlimited cheque; they actually funded it. James Ashby, who couldn't afford it, had to walk away from the case. It was proven there that sexual harassment happened, and Labor shut it down. His wasn't the only case; they had paid out two male staffers prior to this. This is on the record. James Ashby and his lawyers have accumulated a $4 million debt to try and defend himself in a sexual harassment case. That is what did happen. Yet it happens in this place, and I saw the politics play out with Brittany Higgins. You have a prime minister sit there in the chamber and offer her an apology. It hadn't even been before the courts. Everyone was accused of it, and nothing has been proven, and still it's denied in the courts—walked away, but a payout is given to her. For what? Taxpayers' money.

This is not fair, and you have not done anything about it. And I will be upfront. I confronted the Liberal Party about paying the expenses of James Ashby, which needs to be done. And I approached the coalition government. They have refused to. My understanding is that the finance department left it up to Senator Cormann to make the decision. Senator Cormann refused. Is it politics? Yet they gave an ex gratia payment to Peter Slipper, and they have given an ex gratia payment to Christian Porter. Looking after your own. But the fact is they haven't done—and since then, I have spoken to the Labor Party about this. I have seen Minister Farrell with regard to this. I have put forward why they should be clearing his debt in light of the fact that Labor were responsible for this. They allowed it to happen. They kept paying Peter Slipper's bills and allowed this to happen, so justice was not done. The evidence was there.

I'm asking the government: be true to your word here in this chamber and pay James Ashby's legal costs, which he's entitled to. Sexual harassment—if you are true to yourself, then be upfront and make that payment to him to clear his name and give him peace of mind, because he went through hell, absolute hell. Even to this day he wears the scars with it. He won't say it himself, but I'm going to say it, because I can in this chamber, on behalf of James Ashby and the people of Australia: Is it because he's male that you don't do anything about it? Is it because you're a man that it makes no difference? This has to come out in the open, and I'm asking you, in good faith, please stand by your word. Please support him. And I'm asking Anthony Albanese: please, as Prime Minister, have some decency and understand what you did to this man at that time, and please make sure that you give him that ex gratia payment.