Colin Ashworth
Scandals & the public record
Based in Brisbane
A former court reporter, Colin covers cartels, frauds and royal commissions with the caution the subject demands. He attributes everything and presumes innocence until a court decides otherwise.
15 published articles · most recent August 20, 2026
A former court reporter, Colin covers cartels, frauds and royal commissions with the caution the subject demands. He attributes everything and presumes innocence until a court decides otherwise.
Articles by Colin Ashworth
Freedom Foods to Noumi: inside the write-down that gutted a food stockHow Freedom Foods went from ASX darling to a $590m write-down and a rebrand as Noumi, and what the regulators found along the way.
The Plutus Payroll fraud: how a payroll company became a $105m tax schemeInside the Plutus Payroll fraud: the second-tier company structure that siphoned PAYG withholding tax, the arrests, and what the courts found.
Qantas and the sacked ground crew: what the High Court actually foundThe High Court found Qantas broke the law by outsourcing 1,700 ground handling jobs. Here's what the courts found, and what it didn't decide.
Star Entertainment: what the inquiries found, and what the licence costThe Bell review and state inquiries into Star Entertainment exposed years of money-laundering failures. Here's what was found, and what it cost the casino group.
The PwC tax leak: how confidential Treasury advice ended up helping clients dodge new lawsHow confidential government tax-policy consultations at PwC were allegedly used to help clients sidestep new anti-avoidance laws, and what the Senate inquiry and fallout revealed.
Rio Tinto Juukan Gorge: how one blast ended three careersRio Tinto destroyed 46,000-year-old rock shelters at Juukan Gorge. Here is what the parliamentary inquiry found and how it ended three executive careers.
The Firepower fuel pill scheme that collapsedThe Firepower fuel pill promised big savings and sponsored Australian sport, then collapsed owing hundreds of millions. Here is how ASIC pursued its director.
James Hardie asbestos: the compensation scandalThe James Hardie asbestos compensation scandal, from the 2001 foundation to the Jackson inquiry, court findings and the 2007 funding deal. A public record.
Crown Resorts: what the inquiries found, and what it costCrown Resorts was found unsuitable to hold casino licences by three inquiries. Here is what the Bergin Inquiry and its successors found, and what changed.
The Hayne Royal Commission: what it found, and what changedThe Hayne Royal Commission exposed systemic misconduct in Australian finance. Here is what Commissioner Hayne found and what the law required afterwards.
AWB oil-for-wheat scandal: the Saddam kickbacksThe oil-for-wheat scandal explained: the Cole Inquiry found AWB paid about $290 million in kickbacks to Iraq's regime, breaching UN sanctions.
CBA and AUSTRAC: how 53,750 breaches led to a record penaltyCBA and AUSTRAC settled for $700 million in 2018 over 53,750 anti-money-laundering contraventions. Here is what the record penalty revealed about compliance.
The Visy-Amcor cartel: what the Federal Court actually foundThe ACCC's action against Visy and Amcor produced record civil penalties and a landmark Federal Court judgment in 2007. Here is what the court record shows.
AMP and fees for no service: the Banking Royal CommissionAMP's fees for no service conduct was exposed by the Banking Royal Commission, which found misleading statements to ASIC. Here is what the record shows.
7-Eleven's wage theft: how a convenience store empire shortchanged thousands of workersThe 2015 exposé of systematic wage underpayment across 7-Eleven's Australian franchise network triggered one of the country's largest worker repayment schemes. Here's what the record shows.