Judge sheds dim light on dark plot

The Government is not ruling out an inquiry into the Peter Slipper sexual harassment saga after a Federal Court judge found the complaint against the former Speaker was a "political attack" aimed at destabilising the hung Parliament.

In a scathing judgment that undermined the Government's decision to reach a $50,000 settlement with Mr Slipper's accuser, Justice Steven Rares ruled James Ashby had abused the legal process to ruin Mr Slipper's reputation and benefit the MP's political rival Mal Brough.

Justice Rares was particularly critical of Mr Ashby and his lawyer Michael Harmer for including "gratuitous and scandalous" descriptions of a 2003 video and Cabcharge abuse allegations in the initial claim before dropping these claims in a later affidavit.

"Mr Ashby's and Mr Harmer's pleading of 2003 allegations was scandalous, oppressive and vexatious and an abuse of Mr Harmer's professional obligations to the court as a lawyer," he said.

He found Mr Ashby "acted in combination" with fellow Slipper staffer Karen Doane and Mr Brough "to advance the interests of the LNP and Mr Brough".

On Mr Ashby's claims that Mr Slipper sexually harassed him, Justice Rares said they were "relatively trivial incidents" and that both men used sexualised references in text messages.

He said Mr Ashby added to the "frisson of the interchange".

Justice Rares ordered Mr Ashby, who indicated he might appeal, to pay Mr Slipper's costs.

"This has been a very harrowing time for me and my family, my friends and supporters," Mr Ashby said.

"There has been a determined campaign to try and prevent the substantive allegations being heard and judged in open court and to put me to the maximum cost in pursuing justice."

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Judge sheds dim light on dark plot