New Special Minister of State Mal Brough under investigation by the Australian Federal Police

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New Special Minister of State Mal Brough under investigation by the Australian Federal Police

By Rachel Olding
Updated

His new role as Special Minister of State requires him to raise and reform parliamentary standards.

However, federal MP Mal Brough is not yet free of his own damaging allegations that he broke the law in one of the murkiest episodes in Australian politics.

Mal Brough's interview with 60 Minutes was requested by the Australian Federal Police for use in their investigation of him.

Mal Brough's interview with 60 Minutes was requested by the Australian Federal Police for use in their investigation of him.Credit: Channel Nine

Mr Brough is still under investigation by the Australian Federal Police for allegedly illegally procuring and distributing copies of disgraced former speaker Peter Slipper's diaries in 2012, 60 Minutes reported on Sunday night.

The investigation has been going for more than 12 months and the AFP recently requested interview tapes and other material from 60 Minutes, the report said.

Liz Hayes during a 60 Minutes interview.

Liz Hayes during a 60 Minutes interview.Credit: Channel Nine

Earlier this month, Mr Brough returned to the ministry when Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull appointed him Special Minister of State, a position responsible for maintaining parliamentary standards, including the entitlements system.

However, the Slipper saga refuses to die.

Mr Brough sensationally admitted on 60 Minutes last year that he directed Mr Slipper's adviser, James Ashby, to procure copies of Mr Slipper's diaries in 2012.

The diaries, which were subsequently leaked to the media, exposed Mr Slipper's use of around $1000 worth of Commonwealth Cabcharge vouchers to pay for hire car travel to wineries around Canberra - an offence he was found guilty of in 2013 before being acquitted and having the convictions overturned in 2015.

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Mal Brough is still facing accusations over his role in the Peter Slipper affair.

Mal Brough is still facing accusations over his role in the Peter Slipper affair.Credit: Harrison Saragossi

At the time, Mr Slipper had resigned from the Liberal National Party to take up the position of Speaker as an independent, giving the Gillard government a much-needed boost in the hung parliament.

The Cabcharge scandal was the beginning of Mr Slipper's unravelling and he was later forced to resign as Speaker over lewd text messages.

Mal Brough, left, was sworn in as Special Minister of State by Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove earlier this month.

Mal Brough, left, was sworn in as Special Minister of State by Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove earlier this month.Credit: Andrew Meares

Mr Brough then defeated Mr Slipper to win the Queensland seat of Fisher in 2013.

On 60 minutes last year, Mr Brough denied that he procured the diaries because he wanted to find a way to bring down Mr Slipper in order to regain the seat of Fisher.

Peter Slipper announces his resignation in 2012.

Peter Slipper announces his resignation in 2012.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

"You're trying to draw a bow between the two," he told reporter Liz Hayes when she put the accusation to him.

He said he ordered Mr Ashby to copy the diaries "because I believed Mr Slipper had committed a crime".

When asked by 60 Minutes whether it was the right thing to do, he said, "that's for others to judge".

His startling accusation triggered the AFP investigation last year.

On Sunday night, 60 Minutes said the AFP has requested their interview tapes because Mr Brough was being investigated under Section 70 of the Crimes Act, which deals with the disclosure of information by Commonwealth officers. It carries a maximum two-year prison sentence.

In later interviews, Mr Brough dismissed his admission as a "misunderstanding".

Earlier this month, he told the ABC that he had no regrets about his actions.

Last year, Mr Ashby told 60 Minutes he didn't regret handing over the diaries of his boss.

"I must admit I was more than willing to assist Mal with the information he was seeking," he said.

Mr Ashby later took Mr Slipper to court, accusing him of sexual harassment. After initially having the accusations thrown out of court for being "vexatious" and an "abuse of process", Mr Ashby was granted an appeal but then withdrew the allegations.

The AFP confirmed it was investigating the allegations against Mr Brough "thoroughly and comprehensively".

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