NSW Police refer Angus Taylor investigation to Australian Federal Police

The scandal involving federal minister Angus Taylor and a mysteriously altered document has taken an abrupt turn, thanks to NSW Police.

There is a fresh twist in the scandal involving federal minister Angus Taylor and a mysteriously altered document, with NSW Police referring their high profile investigation of the matter to the Australian Federal Police.

At issue is a “doctored” document Mr Taylor used to attack Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore. He cited false figures to say the City of Sydney council was spending too much on travel, and needed to cut down on its carbon emissions.

Mr Taylor has repeatedly denied accusations the document was altered by either he or his staff.

However according to The Australian, NSW Police have concluded the alleged offence occurred outside their jurisdiction – in Canberra.

The newspaper reports the investigation was referred to the AFP “some time ago”, but has since stalled “without further advancement”.

RELATED: Bizarre scandal over ‘doctored’ document

Minister for Energy Angus Taylor. Picture: AAP/Mick Tsikas

Mr Taylor holds the energy and emissions reduction portfolio. In late September, he wrote a letter to Ms Moore suggesting she should cut down on her council’s emissions by travelling less.

“You might be interested to know that there are many practical ways local councils can take real and meaningful action to reduce their carbon emissions. One such example is to limit unnecessary air travel,” Mr Taylor wrote.

“Given your most recent annual report shows your council spent $1.7 million on international travel, and $14.2 million on domestic travel, there is a real opportunity for your council to make a meaningful contribution to reducing Australia’s emissions.”

The letter was a direct response to Ms Moore, who had previously written to the government, urging it to treat climate change as a “national emergency” and drive down emissions.

“Thank you again for bringing your concerns to the government’s attention,” Mr Taylor said.

The crux of this bizarre scandal was Mr Taylor’s claim that the City of Sydney Council spent a staggering total of $15.9 million on travel in 2017-18.

When The Daily Telegraph published a story about his letter on September 30, Ms Moore disputed that figure.

“Just because he ignores the facts on climate change, doesn’t mean the minister can make up figures to distract Australians from his failure of leadership,” Ms Moore said.

“The City of Sydney spent less than $300,000 in travel and accommodation expenses in the 2017-18 financial year.

“He should focus on reducing emissions and providing reliable energy, not making up figures about travel by local government officials.”

In response, Mr Taylor’s office sent the Telegraph some pages from the council’s annual report, which showed a total travel spend of $15.9 million.

Here is where it gets interesting. The full annual report in question is available online, and it clearly contradicts the version provided by Mr Taylor’s office.

Mr Taylor’s version showed $1.7 million had been spent on international travel and $14.2 million on domestic — the figures cited by the minister in his letter.

On the corresponding page, the original version shows councillors spent just $4206 on international travel and $1728 on domestic.

Even when all council employees are taken into account, the total only rises to $229,000, which is obviously still well short of $15.9 million.

The document in question. The relevant part is circled. This is the accurate version.

The obvious question is, where the heck did the $15.9 million figure come from?

Mr Taylor’s office claimed it downloaded its version of the report from the City of Sydney Council’s website on September 6.

However, the council said it had metadata proving the report on its site has not been edited since it was first uploaded in November of last year.

The conclusion of the NSW Police investigation backs that up.

One of Mr Taylor’s staffers, Josh Manuatu, has previously been identified as the person who distributed the false information about the City of Sydney’s travel spending. The minister still says no one in his office altered the document, however.

Controversy has plagued Mr Taylor recently. He was also at the centre of an entirely separate blow-up in the final week of parliament last year.

RELATED: Another bizarre scandal strikes Angus Taylor

The American author Naomi Wolf demanded an apology from him over his maiden speech, delivered back in 2013.

“It was 1991, and a young Naomi Wolf lived a couple of doors down the corridor,” Mr Taylor told parliament in that speech.

“Several graduate students, mostly from the northeast of the US, decided we should abandon the Christmas tree in the common room because some people might be offended.”

Dr Wolf said she was not even at Oxford in 1991, and Mr Taylor unfairly linked her to the attempt to get the Christmas tree taken down. She also interpreted the anti-elitist tone of his speech as being “anti-Semitic”.

Far from backing down, when he was asked about Dr Wolf during Question Time, Mr Taylor demanded an apology from her instead.

“Of course I recall seeing and meeting Ms Wolf at New College in Oxford during my time there. She began her studies there in the mid-80s and she finished at Oxford only a couple of years ago,” he said.

“Now, my speech to the parliament six years ago did not say she was involved in the war on Christmas.

“I want to say this. Her accusation of anti-Semitism is wrong and deeply offensive to me and my family. My grandmother was Jewish and my belief in Judaeo-Christian values is deeply held.

“I call for her to apologise for these unsubstantiated and outrageous accusations.”

A spokesperson for Mr Taylor said: “NSW Police have confirmed to the minister’s solicitors that they have concluded their investigation. The minister welcomes that fact.

“This supports his repeated previous statements that neither he, nor any members of his office, altered the document in question. Of course Minister Taylor will cooperate with the AFP and any enquiries they wish to make, although he fully expects they will conclude that this matter is baseless.”