Bill Shorten rape claim investigation: police emails revealed
DAVID HURLEY
HERALD SUN
OCTOBER 03, 2014 10:00PM
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Kathy has told of her unhappiness over the police investigation into her alleged rape. SENIOR police were concerned federal Labor leader Bill Shorten could try to “conjure up a version of events” if he became aware of an investigation into a historic rape allegation against him too early.
Emails seen by the Herald Sun show officers in the sexual offences squad were worried about ALP figures finding out about the probe in the first few days of the investigation last November.
Victoria Police launched an inquiry into Mr Shorten last year after a woman came forward in October and said he had raped her after a boozy party at a Young Labor conference in Portarlington in 1986.
Shortly after Kathy — the woman who made the allegations — was interviewed by police, officers opted not to go to the ALP so as to avoid alerting Mr Shorten.
An email sent by a detective in the sexual crimes squad on November 1, 2013, said: “At this stage we want to avoid going to the ALP in the first instance. We’re putting together a chart/list of all names mentioned, and we will be able to find out more details once we start speaking to people.
Victoria Police decided not to press charges against Opposition Leader Bill Shorten.
“But we will be selective with who we speak to first as we want to avoid Bill finding out as long as we can, so we can gather further evidence prior to interviewing him.
“If (sic) would be best if we have the element of surprise when we go to Bill so that he hasn’t had time to think about it and conjure up a version of events.
“Hence not going to ALP yet, but we will. This is also why we want to keep it out of the media.”
Last night, a Victoria Police spokeswoman said: “It is normal practice for investigators to have confidential communications with complainants about not contacting other parties which may compromise an investigation or give rise to the potential of allegations that there had been collusion between witnesses or evidence tampered with.
“Victoria Police had no indication that this was at all likely, the communication was as a precaution only. During the course of this investigation, all parties have been forthright and have co-operated fully.”
Ryan Liddell, a spokesman for Mr Shorten, referred the Herald Sun to the federal Labor leader’s statement on the allegations from August.
Mr Shorten said then: “I fully co-operated to clear my name. And that is what I have done ... The police have now concluded the investigation. The decision speaks for itself.”
Last week, Kathy, 44, told the Herald Sun she was bitterly disappointed with the way the police investigation into the alleged rape — which she says occurred when she was 16 and Mr Shorten was 19 — fell apart.
“If Bill was just a regular guy, I think it would have been different,” she said. “The police would have had a load of evidence to do something.
“I left it in the hands of the police and they did nothing.”
Victoria Police decided not to proceed with charges against Mr Shorten after sending a file to the Office of Public Prosecutions and deeming “there was no reasonable prospect of conviction”.
Kathy yesterday told 3AW’s Neil Mitchell she was contemplating a civil legal action against the Opposition Leader.
Police emails also show that on August 26 this year — five days after Mr Shorten made a public statement confirming he had been investigated over the matter and the police probe was now closed — Victoria Police offered to pay to fly Kathy from her Queensland home to Melbourne to speak with officers in the sexual offences squad.
Mr Shorten has repeatedly said of the matter: “The allegation was made by someone I knew briefly at the time.
“There is absolutely no basis for the claim.”
A Victoria Police spokeswoman said: “This matter has been fully investigated as would any allegation of sexual assault.
“Investigating police sought advice from the Office of Public Prosecutions, which advised there was no reasonable prospect of conviction.
“Anyone who has concerns about the manner in which the investigation was conducted can contact the Professional Standards Command or Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission.”
