Court rules on One Nation staffer James Ashby’s $4.5m appeal

A ruling on a bid by One Nation leader Pauline Hanson’s chief of staff to recoup millions in court costs after a failed appeal has been handed down.

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson’s chief of staff has failed in a bid to recoup $4.5m to cover legal costs he incurred in legal action against former parliamentary speaker Peter Slipper.

James Ashby in 2012 sued the commonwealth and Mr Slipper – whom he had worked for as a media advisor in 2011 and 2012 – alleging sexual harassment and misuse of parliamentary entitlements by Mr Slipper.

But before trial, Mr Ashby reached a settlement with the commonwealth and dropped the case.

Six years later, Mr Ashby applied to the Finance Minister for an act of grace payment of $4.537m to cover the legal costs of the case but was refused.

He asked the Federal Court to review the decision, but it dismissed Ashby’s application in January last year.

Mr Ashby appealed that judgment, but lost his Federal Court appeal on Thursday.

Federal Court judges Anna Katzmann, Wendy Abraham and Scott Goodman found “no merit” in his grounds of appeal and ordered it be dismissed with costs.