Sunday 6 January 2013

A Short Primer For Tony Abbott's 'Australians for Honest Politics Trust'

 
Australian Opposition Leader Tony Abbott often talks of the perceived character failings of other politicians. Here is one instance where his own character can be called into question.
 
*************
 
The Australians for Honest Politics Trust was created on 24 August 1998.
This trust allegedly raised approximately $100,000 with the aim of funding one or more civil court cases seeking deregistration of the political party One Nation and the removal of the Member for Oxley Pauline Lee Hanson from the Australian Parliament.
 
Ms. Hanson, a former member of the Liberal Party was disendorsed as a party candidate during the 1996 federal election campaign, entered Parliament as the independent Member for Oxley once election results were declared and, later formed Pauline Hanson’s One Nation with David Oldfield and David Ettridge. This original One Nation Party was registered on 4 December 1997.
 
On 3 & 6 July 1998 Tony Abbott wrote to Queensland Electoral Commissioner Desmond O’Shea objecting to the registration of One Nation. On 8 July the Electoral Commissioner wrote to Mr. Abbott for a second time rejecting his objections and reasons.
 
On 10 July 1998 Terry Sharples commenced civil proceedings in the Queensland Supreme Court formally challenging the registration of One Nation. On or about 11 July Tony Abbott hand wrote a letter to Sharples promising words to the effect that Sharples would not be further out of pocket because of this court case.
 
On 5 July 2001 criminal charges were brought against Ms. Hanson and David Ettridge and they were sentenced to three years gaol for electoral fraud (apparently with no mention of parole) by Judge Patsy Wolfe in the Brisbane District Court on 20 August 2003. Their convictions were quashed on appeal on 6 November 2003.
 
At least six recorded judgments appear to be associated with activities of the Trust’s creators:
 
Sharples v O'Shea & Anor [1998] QSC 171 (31 August 1998)
"One might readily infer that Mr Abbott was as much motivated by party political considerations relating to the next Federal election as he was in the Queensland Electoral Commission inquiring into assertions of misrepresentation and fraud "because of the public interest in the matter".
 
Australians for Honest Politics trustees were:
 
The Honourable John Murray Wheeldon – former member of the Labor Party, former Labor Party senator from West Australia, former editorial writer for The Australian (deceased 2006)
William Peter Coleman – former editor of The Bulletin and Quadrant, former Liberal Party Member for Fuller in the NSW Parliament, former Member for Wentworth in the Federal House of Representatives
The Honourable Anthony John “Tony” Abbott – former journalist with The Bulletin, former Workplace Relations Minister in the Howard Government, current Leader of the Federal Liberal Party and Leader of the Opposition
 
There were allegedly twelve donors to this trust and the following individuals have been identified in various media reports as being donors:
 
Trevor Kennedy - former Consolidated Press Holdings chief executive and new member of Gutenberg Investments group (contribution said to be in the vicinity of $10,000)
Harold Clough West Australian businessman reportedly a major Liberal Party donor and, treasurer of the Lavoisier Group, a director of Clough Limited, on the board of the Institute of Public Affairs and the Asialink Council according to SourceWatch.
 
Alleged fund raiser for the Trust:
 
John Samuel – businessman and sometime associate of Tony Abbott
 
Other individuals allegedly associated with creation of the Trust:
 
Piers Akerman - The Daily Telegraph columnist
 
Applicant in original court case:
 
Terry Patrick Sharples – an accountant allegedly co-opted by Tony Abbott for this purpose by July 1998
Note: David Summers allegedly withdrew as a co-applicant with Sharples and Barbara Hazelton whose separate  proposed court case preparation was paid for by the Trust withdrew her support
           
Individuals alleged to have interested themselves in the fraud court case:
 
Tim Fischer - former National Party leader
Ron Boswell - National Party Senate leader
Bill O'Chee - former National Party senator
 
Copy of the Trust Deed for the Australians for Honest Politics Trust as supplied to the Australian Electoral Commission [AEC] on 20 October 1998 according to the fax timestamp:
 
Note: The witness signatures on Page 3 have been redacted, the remaining two pages supplied to the AEC are illegible and therefor not posted here.
 
Background:
 
Excerpt from Margot Kingston’s book Still Not Happy, John! dealing with the Australians for Honest Politics Trust here.
 
WebDiary Archive

Fairfax Archive

 
 
Abbott refuses to supply donors names to AEC when requested in 2004 via a formal notice of investigation seeking records and information

Copy of AEC response to queries concerning the Trust

Tony Abbott media releases 1998:

 


ONE (DICTATOR’S) NATION  11 August 

ONE NATION IN COURT 2 September

ONE (GUN-TOTING) NATION 24 September 

************

Not, not, not responsible. I can`t answer for the things I do*


Malcolm Turnbull did a party piece at the Woodford Folk Festival last week – he called for less political spin.
His solution? All pollies practicing political honesty as a matter of course?
Nah. He think journalists, bloggers and tweeters should dedicate themselves to recording all the lies.
He’s just another fork-tongued MP who refuses to accept personal or party responsibility for widespread, blatant dishonesty.
*Lines from an old Gene Pitney song

Saturday 5 January 2013

Remembering the deeply weird side of Mr. Rabbitt

 
In which Mr. Rabbitt decides that young people with few or no related industry skills will be able to meet a skills shortage in the then booming West Australia mining sector which is now on the downturn.......
 
The Australian 21 April 2010:
 
TONY Abbott has proposed banning the dole for people under 30 in a bid to entice the unemployed to head west and fill massive skill shortages in the booming resources sector.
The Opposition Leader made the controversial remarks during a two-hour meeting with about 15 senior resources industry leaders in Perth on Monday night.
Mr Abbott told the roundtable briefing he believed stopping dole payments to able-bodied young people would take pressure off the welfare system and reduce the need to bring in large numbers of skilled migrants to staff mining projects.

Friday 4 January 2013

Great to see a former Lower Clarence resident continues to fight the good fight


Heckler in The Sydney Morning Herald is a column where contributors are allowed 450 words on what makes their blood boil. Today's piece, contributed by KJ, appears below. Well done, KJ!

''F--- the wildlife'' was the young man's response when I pointed out no motorbikes were allowed because it was a wildlife conservation area. Similar responses are given when I politely tell people about the ''No dogs'' sign for the same area.
Every summer I am so angry I write a Heckler, but it is not published because I am not witty or funny, and I don't live in Sydney. I just care about the natural environment. This year I am more angry than ever.
Every summer our coastal village is invaded by thousands of people who don't consider how their behaviour will impact on the natural environment or other people. Instead, it is a free-for-all. They leave their brain and manners at home, if they have any.
Garbage? Toss it out the car window or leave it on the beach; or in the gutter, for the next rainfall to wash it out to sea - and back onto the beaches.

Got a four-wheel-drive or trail bike? Rip and tear the dunes and beach habitat, even though vehicles are banned from all beaches in this area.
Camping? Bugger the designated areas in towns and national parks; we want free camping so we'll flatten any plants where we want go, set up camp then burn anything possible, even breaking down shrubs. No toilets so we'll do it in the open.
Fishing? Yeah, great fishing in clean, clear waters. We'll dump fish heads and garbage to harm marine wildlife or pollute the ocean and beaches. Catch as many as we can; we won't be back for another year.
Crowds? Man, we live in the city, we're used to crowds, we push and shove to get what we want. Single file on a walking track when passing others? Never.
Noise? We're used to noise. Geeze, isn't this place peaceful - turn up the music to block out the sound of the ocean.
Dogs? Oh, aren't dogs allowed unleashed, anywhere? The beach looks empty so it doesn't matter if my dog poos there. Cover it with sand or the waves will take it away. Tough anyone else who might want to walk there, or swim in the water, and my dog is always friendly so don't worry if it jumps up on you. And it never does anything wrong, so it is OK to take it into a wildlife conservation area.
Safe, considerate driving? Huh?
This year I am more angry than usual because the crowds are bigger, the traffic jams longer, the people louder and pushier, and the damage to the beach ecosystem from two errant vehicle incidents is immense. February cannot come quickly enough.
Karen Joynes

Metgasco Limited accused of planting agitator?


A number of individuals with a direct interest in or employed in senior positions by Metgasgo Limited have an employment history with mining companies which in one instance reportedly dealt directly with at least one repressive military junta involved in human rights abuses in South-East Asia (Myanmar) and in another instance was thought to have made payments to one violent corrupt dictatorship in Africa (Chad).

One of these companies was also responsible for a catastrophic est. 11 million gallon crude oil spill covering 1,300 miles of Alaskan coastline in 1989.
Yet another of these former employers was recently found to have made a misleading coal seam gas advertisement in Australia.

Given this type of business culture background, it is not hard to imagine the assertion contained in the letter below is within the realms of possibility.

Letter to the Editor published in The Daily Examiner 3 January 2013:

CSG white ants

Protestors who continue their vigil at the Glenugie coal seam gas site have learned to be vigilant in the face of subversive activities designed to undermine their efforts. Early in the piece one particularly loud and aggressive protester, who nobody knew, was suspected of being a plant, determined to provide unsavoury material for the media, and Metgasco, to focus on.
When that person was discreetly questioned, he must have realised his cover was blown, and has not been seen since.
However, the white-anting by people with their own agendas continues, and the letter from Bruce Tom (DE Dec 31) is a typical example. Taking advantage of the offer of a free cup of tea at the very well-managed kitchen on the roadside, he criticises the fact that the tea was brewed on a gas cooker.
Apparently ignorant of the difference between coal seam gas and the liquid petroleum gas being used to make the tea, Bruce accuses his hosts of being hypocritical. Imagine the scorn he would have heaped upon them had they been using an open wood fire (the only alternative) on a high-fire-danger day.
However, Bruce’s red-necked personality really comes to the fore when he makes the derogatory observation about "a Greenie with a chainsaw" operating "with no safety gear to be seen". Perhaps Bruce can explain exactly what it was, in his eyes, that defined the chainsaw artist as a "Greenie". Was it only because he was prepared to take action in support of local landowners whose lives and livelihoods are under threat from gas mining?
It so happens that I was there on the same day and photographed the artist at work. Reviewing those photographs I note that he was wearing work boots and ear muffs. The purist could no doubt complain that he was not wearing chaps or a visor, but to claim there was no safety gear in sight is a deliberate manipulation of the truth.
I am told the artist is a local resident, and an experienced wood carver, and to me he looked and dressed like a farmer or even a timber worker. What people like Bruce need to understand is that opposition to coal seam gas is not restricted to environmentalists, but includes anyone with a modicum of intelligence, allowing them to understand the dangers it poses.
Opponents come from all walks of life, and the support the protest has received from local landowners and businesses, and visitors to the area from all over Australia, has been truly amazing and clearly reflects the mood of the broader community.
I’d like to say well done to everyone involved in the non-violent direct action at Glenugie, particularly those who gave up their Christmas-new year break to continue the vigil. Whether they've stayed for weeks on end, or just come for a friendly chat or to deliver supplies, they are all heroes.
 
John Edwards
South Grafton
 

Thursday 3 January 2013

Australian Broadcasting Corporation may be in for a rocky ride in 2013

 
In 2012 the Australian Communications and Media Authority  investigated approximately fifty complaints against the television arm of the seventy-five year old Australian Broadcasting Corporation and, eleven complaints against its radio stations.
 
Only three of these television program complaints were either partially or fully upheld - two of the broadcasting standards breaches involved the absence of captioning and one involved insufficient opportunity to respond to allegations.
 
Of the radio program complaints investigated only one breach concerning accuracy was found to have occurred.
 
What is fascinating about the investigated complaints list is the unusually high number which allege bias/lack of impartiality in a news or current affairs program.
 
When one compares this list with the smaller list of complaints against commercial television and radio stations last year and the even fewer allegations of bias contained therein, one begins to wonder if what appears to be a sustained politically motivated campaign questioning the ABC’s own standards (which has been played out in the media by the likes of journalist Andrew Bolt and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott) has not created a well of suspicion within the community about the public broadcaster’s motives.
 
In this federal election year, the ABC may be one of the first casualties in the right wing campaign to recapture The Lodge.

"Operation Zero Tolerance'' underway in the Southern Ocean


Website banner for 2013 in the Antarctic whale wars
 
With the Japanese Government sponsored whaling fleet reported to be heading towards its designated Antarctic killing zones (which includes the 50 million square kilometre Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary established by the International Whaling Commission), the 2013 battle in the whale wars is now underway.
 
Japan is said to have a kill target of 935 minke whales and up to 50 endangered fin whales this season under the guise of industrial scale lethal 'research'.
 
 

Wednesday 2 January 2013

"I could" not a good start to an election year for Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs

 
Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Member for JagaJaga, Jenny Macklin, may live to regret how easily this I could tripped off her tongue:
 
 
 
 
What she must regret right now is the silly attempt to hide both question and response in the 1 January 2013 doorstop press conference transcript available on the ministerial website:
 
 
The weak explanation supplied to mainstream media for this omission compounds the problem for Ms. Macklin and provides Nick McGowan, the Liberal candidate in Jaga Jaga who was raised by a single parent, with an unexpected free kick at the start of this federal election year:
 
Last night, her office claimed its recording had been affected by a revving car.

UPDATE:

The Minister appears intent on making the situation worse by failing to directly respond to a Fairfax Media request for a copy of this recording.

Someone's saying No To Tony Abbott

 
 
“I hereby pledge to do my utmost in 2013 and beyond to ensure that Tony Abbott never becomes the Prime Minister of Australia.
I will engage on the issues, on matters of character and on the facts that demonstrate that Tony Abbott is unsuitable to be Prime Minister of Australia. I know that any government lead by Tony Abbott, or any government that follows his lead, would inflict deep and lasting damage to the fabric of Australia that we trust and depend upon. I will expend any and all energies required to ensure Tony Abbott and his values are kept from The Lodge and the government benches in Parliament.”
 
Disclosure:
This site has no affiliation with the Australian Labor Party. Any claims to the contrary are false.
The only partisanship this site has is with those who never want Tony Abbott to be Prime Minister and who want to see Australia prosper and progress into the 21st century and beyond.
 
 
This site appears to have gone online on the last day of 2012 and is beginning to attract attention.

Tuesday 1 January 2013

Joe Hockey on the subject of broken promises


As of 7.21am on 31 December 2012 Opposition Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey is still tweeting after saying he wouldn’t be back until 2013…..
 

Metgasco ended the year in the news for all the wrong reasons


The Northern Star 5 December 2012:
 
Federal Labor MP for Page Janelle Saffin (far right) visits Glenugie in the Clarence Valley on 23 December 2012:
 
https://mobile.twitter.com/CSGFreeNR/status/282738159157129216

The Northern Star 28 December 2012:

Gasland valuation

IF destroying life as we know it won't wake the people of the Northern Rivers / Clarence Valley up from their superficial slumber, then a sharp Metgasco shot to their their hip pocket might jolt them into reality.
I recently received this statement from a very concerned Northern Rivers Real Estate Agent - specialising in rural landholdings: "I am a Northern Rivers Real Estate Sales Agent and have strong connections with rural property owners and dealings with rural sales in the region.
"I believe that if a landholder permits a well to be situated upon their landholding (be it exploratory or productive), that there would be a significant decrease in the market value of that property and neighbouring properties.
"It is my view that should a property have a gas well upon it (or a waste water holding Pond/Transfer Pond), then the particular property would be extremely difficult to sell, as would neighbouring properties.
"I have already had comments from prospective purchasers who do not wish to inspect or purchase property in areas of current or future exploration. So the negative effects are already evident in the community."
M Mizzi, Lismore
 
The Northern Star 29 December 2012:
 
AQUATIC animal health expert Dr Matt Landos of Ballina says the coal seam gas industry will be another hit for aquatic life.
He said it was very likely ground water on the Northern Rivers would be contaminated when the mining industry was in full swing.
"Drilling fluids can contaminate aquifers. Sooner or later it will find its way into waterways," he said.
"Some of the compounds have never been tested on fish."
Also, fish and oyster larvae were sensitive to the hydrocarbons which could be released from the sub-strata when drill casings failed…..
His comments come at the same time the National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training said it was possible contaminated ground water could get into oceans.
The water flows into the ocean underground through old river channels that have since been buried, known as "wonky holes", said the centre's Professor Craig Simmons.
"If there's any contamination in the ground water ... they intersect with one of these wonky holes, they're definitely going to take out the chemistry as well as the water," Prof Simmons said.
"It's certainly not impossible that something like that could happen. I've not heard of it yet but there are certainly nutrients that are taken into the ocean so there is that possibility."
Prof Simmons said more research needed to be done.
 
Excerpt from a letter to the editor published in The Daily Examiner, Grafton, on 28 December 2012:

To me it’s commonsense, you only need to look at the landscape of towns such as Tara and Chinchilla to realise that this is going to have a detrimental effect on our lives.
This is what is planned for the Northern Rivers region and I’d be dammed if I am not going to fight for it.
Kym Benson, Lawrence Road  
 
Australian Stock Exchange records for Metgasco Limited at 8am 30 December 2012. This mining exploration and production company intends to commence drilling at Glenugie near Grafton early this month:
Closing prices
Closing prices are displayed for the last 5 days on which the security traded on ASX within the last 6 months.
Date
Vol *
28 Dec 2012
0.190
11.76%
0.195
0.170
736,007
27 Dec 2012
0.170
3.03%
0.170
0.165
129,808
24 Dec 2012
0.165
-2.94%
0.165
0.165
100,000
21 Dec 2012
0.170
9.68%
0.180
0.160
803,400
20 Dec 2012
0.155
-3.12%
0.160
0.155
235,050
* Volume of shares shown represents only those shares traded on ASX.
Metgasco daily share prices for the last twelve months as traded on the Australian Stock: Exchange
 
 And highly misleading advertising found on Google 31 December 2012:
 

****Happy New Year To All from North Coast Voices****



Tuesday 25 December 2012

***************A Happy Festive Season 2012***************


To All Our Readers
A Happy Festive Season

From Everyone Here at North Coast Voices

See you again on 1 January 2013
When we return from our holiday break

Monday 24 December 2012

Ethical Investors Be Warned: Metgasco is spouting propaganda again

 
The relentless propaganda being churned out by Metgasco Limited has reached such ridiculous heights that earlier this month the Echo NetDaily called it on the spin and misinformation being generated.
 
However, this mining company barely broke stride in its attempts to blacken the character of those who oppose coal seam gas exploration and mining.
 
 
It would appear that the Knitting Nannas of Grafton and other law abiding Northern Rivers residents are in this company’s sights.
 
Where does this sense of corporate entitlement come from – this very arrogant l'etat c'est moi attitude?
 
Once again, pictures demonstrate…..
 
Home of a Metgasco director and shareholder:
 
 
Typical home in the Glenugie area of the Clarence Valley:
 

How to track Santa tonight



Sadly, none of Santa's many elves live in the Northern Rivers of New South Wales, but they do make sure that the jolly fellow vists on Christmas Eve when everyone is fast asleep.

Here is the Santa Tracker* which may show you just how close he is to your house tonight: http://www.google.com/santatracker/#/village/

* The tracker works best in Chrome.

You can also track Santa here.

For all the children in Austalia here is Santa's flight plan for tonight.....
http://youtu.be/u7JLVBnqIbo

Sunday 23 December 2012

Call to reduce speed on the Maclean to Brooms Head Road


Residents of Brooms Head say, "Enough is enough" in a letter to the editor of The Daily Examiner.

Road kill appalling

Plenty of well-meaning people work hard to address the impact of Brooms Head Road traffic on our wildlife. National Parks keep count of emu numbers; WIRES repairs victims; some attach tracking devices; and, occasionally, The Daily Examiner reminds us how warm and fuzzy are emu chicks. But none of this reduces the appalling road kill.

Eighteen months ago my wife and I concluded a series of letters to The Daily Examiner and The Coastal Views  about the level of the road kill on the 20km stretch between Brooms Head and Maclean, but the killing continues.

I recently presented photos of wildlife killings on that road to The Daily Examiner: roos, wallabies, wallaroos, possums, echidnas, various reptiles and a wide variety of birds. The reporter wasn't interested except to wonder why I cared.

I said that if I were hit, it would hurt me as much as if I were an emu or goanna. I asked if, in the scheme of things, an emu has a less-important right to seek a pain-free life than I do; that while I use its natural land, should deadly confrontation be inevitable; that while I possibly think quicker than the emu, does it give me a greater right to destroy it - or am I ethically obliged to care for the less able? Should my code of behaviour be based on the levels of difference between the surrounding wildlife and me and, if so, how should it be expressed caringly or non-caringly?

If conflict between "unequal" species is okay, what about between members of our species? Should we excuse killing one another on roads. If not, why not?

While it seemed my reporter preferred to pursue the warm and fuzzy approach, bosses/authorities who don't make decisions can have devastating effect. Reducing this 20km trip to mostly 80km/h all the way certainly increases the time by three minutes but allows that bit extra for sharper navigation and avoidance on a road where highway speed (and often more) simply invites collision. The administrative inaction shows poor duty of care. It's a little similar to the carelessness surrounding that thoughtless message recently allowed through to nurse Saldanah in London.

K.Giese
Brooms Head

Source: Letters, The Daily Examiner, 21/12/12

Joe Hockey: "a nasty man"


From @Pollytics

Predictions for 2013


* Biggest under the radar problem for Federal Labor in 2013 - Robert John "Bob" Carr.

* Most troublesome MP for Federal Liberal Party in 2013 – Anthony John "Tony" Abbott.

* Most likely political scandals next year –

Abbott’s political plots

who knew of James Ashby's plans and who funded his court case

the relationship between past and present MPs or their advisers and mining companies operating in New South Wales

super trawlers in Australian waters

NSW Health performance

Cardinal George Pell if his congregation don't manage to gag him during the Federal Government royal commission into child sexual abuse

The Australian newspaper's rightwing shenanigans

the entire federal general election campaign from start to finish

Saturday 22 December 2012

Sortius seeks answers

 
Sortius is a Geek sent this email below to the Department of Parliamentary Services on 18 December 2012. The next day Sortius alleged his website was being blocked so that staff at Parliament House could not read his opinions concerning Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.
 
 
Hi,
 
My name is Kieran Cummings & I write for Independent Australia (& my own blog) about technology & politics.
I recently wrote an article in regard to the press release offered by Tony Abbott’s office regarding James Ashby’s case against Peter Slipper. During my investigation I have uncovered quite a lot of information about the PDFs & when they were produced.
Yesterday I was contacted by journalists to advise that DPS had made a statement in regard to when the PDFs were produced. I feel this statement raises more questions than it answers & I would like to get some more information from DPS on this.
What are “technical staff” using to determine when the files were created/converted to PDF? Are you monitoring every computer on the network & all file creations/accesses?
How is it possible for APH’s computers/servers to run on a time zone outside AEST/AEDT? To my knowledge this will cause all sorts of problems with appointments, logs, etc.
The original press release does not use a “z date” format for time stamping, so I ask which file is DPS referring to? The one modified on 23/04/12 or the original that does not include the “z date” formatting? (I have included the original file that was emailed out before the press release that has passed on from a journalist to myself)
No other files around the time this was created exhibit the same symptoms, if APH does indeed use UTC on all the computers this would be easily replicated. Why is this not the case?
When DPS notes that this was a “technical problem”, where is it arising from?
Tony Abbott’s office advised on 13/12/12 that they were aware of the problem in April 2012, yet DPS does not seem to have known about the problem until 13/12/12. Can DPS please confirm that this has been a continual problem?
Your prompt responses would be appreciated.
 
Regards,
Kieran Cummings
 
yeh, they are actually investigating it. Apparently my blog has been blocked at APH.
 

The electorate still mocking Abbott


This time it’s @AshbySlipper who says Since @TonyAbbottMHR hasn't had time to read the judgement, I thought I'd tweet it to him. One line at a time.”
The beginning of this Tweetathon in reverse order:
@AshbySlipper .@TonyAbbottMHR suggested that he was planning to use the record of his texts with Mr Slipper to empower others in a way that would affect
@AshbySlipper .@TonyAbbottMHR contemporaneous texts with his friends, of Mr Ashby feeling upset as a result of sexual harassment. Rather those texts
@AshbySlipper .@TonyAbbottMHR Ashby went to see Mark McArdle, a senior frontbencher in the then Queensland State LNP opposition. There was no hint, in
@AshbySlipper .@TonyAbbottMHR "closer", and hence sexual, relationship. Mr Ashby rebuffed whatever the proposed closer relationship was. The next day Mr
 @AshbySlipper .@TonyAbbottMHR text messages with Mr Slipper. That exchange could be read as conveying a proposal by Mr Slipper that the two have a
@AshbySlipper .@TonyAbbottMHR pages of Mr Ashby's text messages with Mr Slipper and many other people. On 1 February 2012, Mr Ashby had an exchange of