Abbott scholarship leaker escapes conviction

Sydney whistleblower Freya Newman has been served a two-year good behaviour bond with no conviction after pleading guilty to illegally accessing and leaking documents about a scholarship awarded to the daughter of Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

Newman, 21, in May disclosed documents to journalists alleging Ms Abbott, then 22, paid just AU$7546 of a $68,182 degree fee after being awarded a scholarship by the Whitehouse Institute of Design.

Magistrate Teresa O'Sullivan today told the packed Sydney's Downing Centre local court today Newman's offence was "motivated by a sense of injustice" noting that while it was towards the "lower end" of offences, there remained a need to denounce it.

Newman was not afforded public-interest whistleblower protection as the Whitehouse Institute was a private institution.

The scholarship was contentious because the Institute does not ordinarily make such offers: its website says the organisation did "not currently offer scholarships to gain a place into the Bachelor of Design" and that scholarships may be offered to students "who have formally commenced their studies". Abbott's daughter Frances was offered the scholarship before commencing the course.

Another controversy is Abbott's failure to disclose the scholarship, which he ought to have done so under the spirit of Australia's regulations on politicians financial interests.

Ms Abbott said of the breach earlier this month it was "just like as a small child [learning] it's not right to read someone's diary". ®