Federal police drop Angus Taylor investigation
A police investigation into an allegedly forged document sent from Energy Minister Angus Taylor's office has been dropped after finding there was a "low level of harm" and no evidence the minister was involved in falsifying information.
The Australian Federal Police on Thursday confirmed it was not proceeding with the investigation into the false document, which was sent to the media to attack Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore over the City of Sydney's travel expenses.
An investigation into Energy Minister Angus Taylor's office has been dropped.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen
"Following inquiries undertaken and information provided by NSW Police, the AFP has determined it is unlikely further investigation will result in obtaining sufficient evidence to substantiate a Commonwealth offence," the AFP said in a statement.
"The AFP assessment of this matter identified there is no evidence to indicate the Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction was involved in falsifying information.
"The low level of harm and the apology made by the Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction to the Lord Mayor of Sydney, along with the significant level of resources required to investigate were also factored into the decision not to pursue this matter."
The AFP said it now considered the matter "finalised" in response to a referral from the NSW police at the end of December, which in turn followed calls from federal Labor for an investigation.
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese and legal affairs spokesman Mark Dreyfus argued the false information was used to influence an elected official, Ms Moore, and therefore broke the law.
Mr Taylor has insisted he relied on a document downloaded from the City of Sydney website when he claimed the council spent $15.9 million on travel when the real costs were less than $6000 for its councillors.
"I welcome the advice of the Australian Federal Police that they have finalised this matter," Mr Taylor said in response to the AFP statement.
"The Labor Party has a track record of using police referrals as a political tool. The leader of the opposition and shadow attorney-general's pursuit of this matter is a shameful abuse of their office and a waste of our policing agencies' time."
The City of Sydney made a trove of computer data available to NSW police investigators to check on Mr Tayor's claim about the download, with the council insisting its website had not been altered to show the information the minister claimed.
The allegedly doctored page from the council's annual report showed the $15.9 million cost of expenses for councillors and was sent to The Daily Telegraph in October, which cited the incorrect figure and quoted Mr Taylor accusing the council of hypocrisy over climate change.
While the AFP found Mr Taylor did not falsify information, it made no public finding on the staff within his office and whether they had received or created the information at the heart of the affair.
Mr Taylor's office refused to release emails and other documents in response to a freedom of information request from The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.
NSW Police originally investigated the matter, before passing it over to the AFP because the document may have allegedly been doctored in Canberra.
Labor's environment spokesman Mark Butler said two police investigations had failed to show where Mr Taylor's office got the figures from.
"If Angus Taylor continues to refuse to come clean, then the Prime Minister must order a proper, independent and transparent investigation into his minister, and commit to making the findings public," Mr Butler said.