Christopher Pyne confirms he met with James Ashby three times, but denies job offer and threats

EDUCATION minister Christopher Pyne confirmed he met with James Ashby, but denied he promised him jobs or threatened to call him a liar.

Education Minister Christopher Pyne in Question time in the House of Representatives Chamber, Parliament House in Canberra.

EDUCATION minister Christopher Pyne has confirmed he met with James Ashby three times, but denied he promised him jobs or threatened to call him a pathological liar.

Mr Ashby, a former staffer to disgraced former federal speaker Peter Slipper, has revealed how he went to the then leader of opposition business to discuss concerns he had about Mr Slipper.

He claimed Mr Pyne offered him a lawyer and a potential job if he went public about Mr Slipper, but would call him a “pathological liar” if Mr Ashby went public about their meeting.

Mr Pyne rejected all allegations Mr Ashby had made on 60 Minutes on Sunday night.

However he conceded he had spoken to Mr Ashby about future employment: “He indicated that he was uncomfortable in Mr Slipper’s office and I indicated to him that if we won the Queensland state election that would be a chance potentially for him to get out of Mr Slipper’s office.

“The fact is that there was no job ever provided for Mr Ashby, and he admits that.”

Mr Pyne denied he had threatened Mr Ashby: “I would not have used that language.”

However he did concede he had made it known his relationship with the speaker would deteriorate if the meeting was made public.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott said he stood by all previous comments about the issue and was content his party had behaved correctly.

“I certainly stand by everything that I’ve said about this and I am confident that Christopher will stand by everything that he’s said about this business,’’ he said.

“I watched the program. I saw what I took to be a decent man who had been put into an impossible position, and I had a lot of sympathy for him.”