Throughout the three weeks that the scandal threatened Mr Foley's leadership, from the time it was raised under parliamentary privilege to the release of the statement, Mr Foley emphatically denied anything happened.
He denied it publicly and he denied it to his colleagues. And it was that denial that drew him cautious support from his Labor colleagues, who maintained that without a statement or admission, Mr Foley survived.
Foley retaliates by contradicting reporterABC journalist accuses NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley of inappropriate touching
Nicholls and the ABC also hit out at comments by the Australian journalist Andrew Clennell, who first published the story. In a front-page article on Friday, Clennell wrote that Nicholls had leaked the information to a Liberal politician.
In a statement, the ABC said Nicholls “unequivocally denies this claim”.
“Today’s report in The Australian is wrong and an outrageous slur on my integrity,” he said.
“I have never given information to a Liberal politician – or any politician – about an allegation involving an ABC journalist and Luke Foley.”
Things are a changin’ ...“What happens at the Bear Pit Press Christ Mas Party stays in The Bear Pit”! This slogan is one of the more famous tag lines that was quoted. I drank a lot but I also performed folklorik dances at those parties with journos, Researchers, Members. Franca Arena made the best moves ...
