Attorney-General Nicola Roxon breaching the rules governing commonwealth litigations by reaching a $50,000 settlement with James Ashby.

Despite previously condemning Mr Ashby's case as politically motivated and vexatious, Ms Roxon revealed on Friday that the commonwealth had reached a $50,000 settlement with Mr Ashby in breach of its own legal services directions which are the guidelines for the conduct by the commonwealth of litigation.

Government policy dictates that the commonwealth should never settle litigation merely to avoid future costs and should only settle litigation if it's of the view that there are reasonable prospects that the adverse party will succeed.

This is an acknowledgement that there is a substantial case against Slipper. Slipper's lawyers have abandoned him, and he is already liable for costs due to a motion he lost. Is Labor ready to go down with the Slipper sleaze?

yes, another stuff up by Labor.

This mob can't get anything right. Most incompedent lot to ever be in power.

The stuff ups list is growing.

Context is everything, Shadow Minister.

Mr Ashby was suing the Government for not providing a safe working environment. Given the pathetic nature of "evidence" required to prove this charge - particularly in government departments, where a blunt pencil-sharpener can be declared unsafe, as it might cause RSI - settling early was a sensible call. Lawyers would have had a field day, discussing the proper definition of "safe", as it applies to the public service. An unedifying, and expensive, prospect for all concerned.

And this is inaccurate too:

>>This is an acknowledgement that there is a substantial case against Slipper.<<

There would need to have been absolutely no assessment of Slipper's innocence or guilt in the determination of whether a "safe workplace" case would succeed or not. But it did give them the excuse necessary - as in, the Government is no longer a party to the case - to set him loose.

Altogether a pretty smart decision by Ms Roxon.

I like this one quote "The Attorney-General, Nicola Roxon, maintained yesterday that the reason the Commonwealth chose to settle was to end the ''lawyers' picnic'' which had cost the Commonwealth more than $700,000 in legal fees thus far"

Yet Australia gave millions of dollars to a trial in Cambodia that is costing $45 MILLION dollars per year so far over $150 MILLION has been spent to get 1 conviction.

THAT IS BLOOD SUCKING LAWYERS AT THERE BEST.

Back to the thread The reason for settling may be more apparent now because the lawyer now want the case dropped against Mr Slipper, he is trying to get off free, maybe then he can return to parliment on Juliar's side .

Roxon's decision was a financial one and not an admission of the charges themselves.

Ashby seems likely to pursue the charges against Slipper independently of the Workplace Safety claim that Roxon settled.

I hope Ashby continues. I for one would be interested in what it dredges up about other "interested parties" involved in the matter.

Likewise, the HSU matter still has a long way to go and has some interesting entanglements.

wobbles - Does it not seem strange that $700,000 is too much but we can give Millions of dollars for a prosecution in another country?