Peter Slipper urges James Ashby inquiry

FORMER speaker Peter Slipper has urged the Labor government to hold a royal commission into allegations made by James Ashby.

FORMER speaker Peter Slipper has urged the Labor government to hold a royal commission into the allegations made against him by his onetime staffer, James Ashby.

When he stood up in parliament yesterday to make what he termed a "precautionary valedictory" speech, Mr Slipper said senior Coalition figures asked billionaire Clive Palmer for money to cover the cost of pursuing sexual harassment claims against him.

The claims have since been dismissed by the Federal Court.

Under the shelter of parliamentary privilege, Mr Slipper said shadow treasurer Joe Hockey and the Coalition candidate in Mr Slipper's seat of Fisher, Mal Brough, had asked Mr Palmer to pay Mr Ashby's legal fees.

Mr Hockey has strongly rejected that claim.

Mr Slipper said he had met Mr Palmer at his Coolum resort.

"I think was it held in the Titanic room. It was a very large breakfast for two people and we have a very interesting conversation," Mr Slipper said.

"And I do recall that Mr Palmer mentioned to me at that time that about Easter last year, Mr Brough, accompanied by the Member for North Sydney, came to see Mr Palmer to ask him to fund James Ashby's legal fees with respect to the litigation most people listening would be aware of."

Mr Hockey told parliament he had never met Mr Ashby, did not know of him at the time, and had never raised the matter with Mr Palmer over a cup of coffee.

"That is patently untrue," Mr Hockey said.

It is understood Mr Hockey later rang Mr Palmer to reconfirm that with him.

Mr Slipper said former attorney-general Nicola Roxon had mentioned the possibility of an "Ashbygate" royal commission.

"I have spoken to other senior ministers in the government, I do understand that matter is under active consideration, and I would hope the government moves to see the involvement of members of the opposition in particular," Mr Slipper said.

He said what happened in relation to Mr Ashby's claims was "an attempt, not only to, shall we say, remove the speaker of the Australian parliament, but also to bring down the government of this nation."

Mr Brough told The Australian he had "nothing further to add on the issue".

Mr Slipper said his valedictory speech was "precautionary" because whether he ran for parliament again would depend on who ultimately was chosen to be the Liberal National Party candidate in the seat of Fisher.

Mr Slipper will in December face trial over allegations he misused a taxpayer-funded Cabcharge card while visiting wineries and restaurants outside Canberra in January 2010.