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| Mal Brough says he will not contest next election as AFP inquiry continues | Mal Brough says he will not contest next election as AFP inquiry continues |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The embattled former minister Mal Brough has announced he will not contest the next election. | The embattled former minister Mal Brough has announced he will not contest the next election. |
| “I thank the people of Fisher for their support at the last election and the trust they placed in me to be their voice in Canberra,” he said in a statement released on Friday. “It’s been a privilege and honour to represent this generous community.” | “I thank the people of Fisher for their support at the last election and the trust they placed in me to be their voice in Canberra,” he said in a statement released on Friday. “It’s been a privilege and honour to represent this generous community.” |
| Brough, a former Howard government minister, lost his Queensland seat of Longman in 2007. He contested and won the seat of Fisher, held by former Speaker Peter Slipper, in 2013. | Brough, a former Howard government minister, lost his Queensland seat of Longman in 2007. He contested and won the seat of Fisher, held by former Speaker Peter Slipper, in 2013. |
| Brough was appointed special minister of state after Malcolm Turnbull became leader in September 2015, despite an ongoing police investigation into Brough’s role in the Slipper diary affair. | Brough was appointed special minister of state after Malcolm Turnbull became leader in September 2015, despite an ongoing police investigation into Brough’s role in the Slipper diary affair. |
| The MP stood aside as minister due to the investigation in December, and earlier this month the Australian federal police told Senate estimates that the investigation was still trawling through hundreds of emails and phone records. | The MP stood aside as minister due to the investigation in December, and earlier this month the Australian federal police told Senate estimates that the investigation was still trawling through hundreds of emails and phone records. |
| Turnbull released a statement on Friday acknowledging Brough’s tenure. | |
| “Mal has been a good friend and colleague over many years and after the election he will be missed in Canberra by all of us,” the prime minister said. “But I have no doubt that the next stage of his career will be as dynamic and committed as has been his time in politics.” | |
| A spokeswoman for the AFP confirmed the investigation was ongoing into whether Brough played a role in obtaining copies of Slipper’s diary from former staffer, James Ashby, despite Friday’s announcement. | A spokeswoman for the AFP confirmed the investigation was ongoing into whether Brough played a role in obtaining copies of Slipper’s diary from former staffer, James Ashby, despite Friday’s announcement. |
| “Mr Brough, Mr Pyne and Mr Roy are assisting police with inquiries,” she said. “The AFP has spoken to Mr Ashby and at this time understand he is seeking legal advice. | “Mr Brough, Mr Pyne and Mr Roy are assisting police with inquiries,” she said. “The AFP has spoken to Mr Ashby and at this time understand he is seeking legal advice. |
| “The AFP takes investigations of this nature extremely seriously. It is conducting a thorough investigation and will continue to do so until its completion. As this investigation remains ongoing, it is not appropriate to comment further.” | “The AFP takes investigations of this nature extremely seriously. It is conducting a thorough investigation and will continue to do so until its completion. As this investigation remains ongoing, it is not appropriate to comment further.” |
| In September 2014, Brough appeared to admit during an interview with the Channel Nine program 60 Minutes that he had asked Ashby for copies of the diary. | In September 2014, Brough appeared to admit during an interview with the Channel Nine program 60 Minutes that he had asked Ashby for copies of the diary. |
| Brough denied that was the case, saying in parliament last year that the program did not air his full comments. | Brough denied that was the case, saying in parliament last year that the program did not air his full comments. |
| Channel Nine then put out a full transcript of the interview, which appeared to undermine Brough’s claims of selective editing. | Channel Nine then put out a full transcript of the interview, which appeared to undermine Brough’s claims of selective editing. |
| Labor relentlessly pursued the former minister during parliament towards the end of 2015, saying he had misled the House of Representatives. | Labor relentlessly pursued the former minister during parliament towards the end of 2015, saying he had misled the House of Representatives. |
| The LNP Queensland state executive had a meeting on Friday, and Brough was on the agenda. It is understood the executive was not planning to make a final decision on whether to disendorse Brough until after the AFP investigation was completed. | The LNP Queensland state executive had a meeting on Friday, and Brough was on the agenda. It is understood the executive was not planning to make a final decision on whether to disendorse Brough until after the AFP investigation was completed. |
| A spokesman for the LNP executive denied it had given Brough adeadline of this weekend to be cleared in the AFP investigation orrisk losing preselection. LNP preselection for the seat of Fisher opens on Monday. | |
| Brough announced he would not recontest his seat before the LNP meeting took place. His spokeswoman would not be drawn on how long Brough had planned to make the announcement or what his plans after parliament were, telling Guardian Australia he wishes only to “focus on his family”. | |
| The shadow attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, said that Brough’s resignation was not the end of the Slipper-Ashby affair. | The shadow attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, said that Brough’s resignation was not the end of the Slipper-Ashby affair. |
| “Christopher Pyne and Wyatt Roy have their fingerprints all over this and they’re yet to give a full explanation. Their stories just don’t add up,” he said. “Now Mal Brough has made his announcement today, it’s time for them to come clean.” | “Christopher Pyne and Wyatt Roy have their fingerprints all over this and they’re yet to give a full explanation. Their stories just don’t add up,” he said. “Now Mal Brough has made his announcement today, it’s time for them to come clean.” |