re Vasta and Hardgrave
11 September 2007
The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions has considered material provided in briefs of evidence by the Australian Federal Police relating to The Hon Mr Gary Hardgrave MP and Mr Ross Vasta MP. The matters involved alleged conduct in relation to the use of Parliamentary entitlements.
The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions has provided advice to the Australian Federal Police in accordance with the Prosecution Policy of the Commonwealth.
For a prosecution to succeed an offence must be proved beyond reasonable doubt. The Prosecution Policy of the Commonwealth requires that the evidence establish a prima facie case with reasonable prospects of conviction for a prosecution to be commenced.
I am not satisfied that the evidence contained in the briefs establishes reasonable prospects of conviction for a criminal offence against Mr Hardgrave or Mr Vasta and the police have been advised accordingly.
The CDPP is examining other matters arising from connected investigations and it is not appropriate to make any further comment. These other matters are being dealt with expeditiously.