Tag: HSU

When the time came to pay …

Sad news …

A 67 year old man died of natural causes while getting lap dances at a Texas strip club on Friday night it has been revealed. Robert Gene got multiple lap dances during his time at the Red Parrot in El Paso, however according to KVIA when the time came to pay, the employees at the strip club found him to be unresponsive. Meanwhile KTSM reported that while being entertained Gene suffered from a heart attack, which the strippers failed to notice.

There is, of course, an alternative theory of the crime. According to some, Mr. G was an upright Union Official, invited to the Red Parrot by text message from a phone number he had good reason to trust. Unbeknown to him however this was a spoof call originating from a woman called Jackson. Not realising that the Red Parrot was a strip joint and having good reason to trust the text message he attended. As anticipated by those plotting against him, the unsolicited and entirely unexpected gyrations of an increasingly undressed woman, a fraction of his age, led to his predictable demise.

The spokesperson for the stripper denied any negligence on her part, “Yes, of course she noticed he was stiff”, they said, “and No, there is nothing unusual about being unresponsive when it’s time to pay”.

It is rumoured that an explanation of these events will be made to the Australian Parliament on Monday.

Let’s shoot the whistleblower …

Whistles can be very distracting, they completely ruin the footy …

Kathy Jackson, was charged $40,882.16 by Toomey Pegg Lawyers between December and February to prepare her response to three minor findings against her in the draft report by Fair Work Australia.

When Fair Work Australia’s final report was released last week, two of the alleged breaches of the Registered Organisations Act against Ms Jackson had been dropped and she faced just one, concerning the failure to lodge a financial return in 2007 after she took over the union from the suspended MP, Craig Thomson.

Ms Jackson’s request for the union to pay her legal fees was rebuffed …

Ms Jackson said yesterday that she was ”very unhappy” about the decision, especially as the union had been picking up the legal fees of the suspended national president, Michael Williamson, and, until recently, the NSW ALP had footed the legal bill for Mr Thomson.

The Herald revealed yesterday that the low-paid members of the scandal-ridden union had so far paid about $150,000 to defend Mr Williamson, while Mr Thomson’s legal bills had reached $200,000.

SMH

 

HSU, we’ll screw you, HSU …

Can’t you just hear the chant …

According to Sky News this morning, Julia now thinks it urgent to ensure that parliamentarians and unions behave better, it’s not a new problem, a line must have been crossed.

It clearly wasn’t so urgent recently …

A PROPOSED code of conduct for federal MPs was shelved just two days after the release of Fair Work Australia findings that suspended Labor MP Craig Thomson had rorted $500,000 of union members’ money.

The Senate standing committee of senators’ interests resolved on May 9 to put off its report on the proposed code until November 27. The Australian

Meanwhile here’s a website worth a visit … http://www.thomsonresign.com/

For a very long, long, long time to come …

In jail one hopes …

Paul Sheehan covers the story, from the time it broke until now.

More than three years have passed since Mark Davis broke a story in this newspaper on April 8, 2009, which began: ”The federal Labor MP and former union boss Craig Thomson faces allegations that his union credit cards were used to pay for escort services and to withdraw more than $100,000 in cash, as well as bankroll his election campaign for the central coast seat of Dobell.

Thomson sued but discontinued the action just before the case began. The Labor Party forked out $150,000 to meet his legal bills, stave off bankruptcy and keep him in parliament.

On August 16 last year, Gillard, by now Prime Minister, responded to a question in Parliament: ”I have complete confidence in the member for Dobell. I think he is doing a fine job … [and] I look forward to him continuing to do that job for a very long, long, long time to come.”

Meanwhile FWA conducted its enquiry. And conducted its enquiry, and conducted …

The Thomson defence: Someone else misused his union credit card. They also misused his driver’s licence. Then forged his signature on receipts. They misappropriated his phone and made calls near his home and from hotels where he was staying. The phone was used to call escort agencies. The $250,000 allegedly spent by Thomson to help get into Parliament but never declared was not spent on electoral matters.

He can also explain why his credit card, driver’s licence and phone were never reported stolen. And why bills that included receipts from escort agencies and cash withdrawals were paid under his authorisation.

The FWA report, finally released, gives that defence no credence.

Three years and one month have elapsed since the story hit the public domain. Will Mr. Thomson get away with the electoral offences because the statute of limitations has expired?

The members of the HSU, working Australians as Julia likes to put it, have paid for prostitutes, lunches, airfares and an election campaign. Mr. Thomson was still using his credit card even after leaving the union’s employ. The Labor Party have kicked in another $150,000. Julia Gillard, champion of working Australians, has blessed him with her confidence.

It stinks. Labor stinks. Its time …

Update. From The Telegraph …

The ALP last night confirmed it agreed last September to engage lawyers Holding Redlich to assist him in the Fair Work Australia inquiry …

Mr Thomson appears to have broken parliamentary rules by failing to declare the assistance in the MPs pecuniary interest register.

He updated his register last night after The Daily Telegraph began making inquiries into the breach.

Electoral Commission …

Electoral commission probes HSU funds

It appears that the Australian Electoral Commission are having another look at the funding of Mr. Thomson’s election campaign. The link takes you to 9 News who report …

In May 2010 the AEC asked for advice from the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (CDPP).

The CDPP responded to the AEC in July 2010, but the advice has not been made public due to a public interest immunity obtained by the government.

The emphasis is mine …

Casablanca …

What a movie. Now 70 years old. You can find some classic lines from it here.

I just love that bit …

Rick: How can you close me up? On what grounds?
Captain Renault: I’m shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!
[a croupier hands Renault a pile of money]
Croupier: Your winnings, sir.
Captain Renault: [sotto voce] Oh, thank you very much.
[aloud]
Captain Renault: Everybody out at once!

Shocked, shocked, indeed shocked, just like today’s lines from the Labor party regarding the goings on at the HSU,”incredibly disturbing“, says Mr Shorten. It must have come as a great surprise to him, given how well the secret has been kept for so long. It’s possible that even Nicola Roxon will catch up with the news within a few days.

Mr. Windsor is standing by Labor and from his radio interview on the ABC seems to be determined not to catch up with the FWA report. I guess the only thing he has to lose is his seat … which is a certainty at the next election, he’ll sit next to Mr. Thomson for as long as possible no matter what he smells like.

Bring on the election, please bring it on.

Miss Behaving …

Now we can read it … from

FAIR WORK AUSTRALIA
Report of the Delegate to the General Manager of Fair Work Australia
Investigation into the National Office of the Health Services Union under section 331 of the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009.

Terry Nassios. 28 March 2012
You can find it all here.
Highlights include ….
Conclusions

176. In all the circumstances I consider that:

a. Mr Thomson used his credit cards to spend the amounts set out in paragraphs39,68to69,83,99,112and122of this chapter, totalling $5,793 on the procurement of escort services;

b. Mr Thomson used his Diners Club card to make the payment of $212   to Flairview Travel Pty Ltd which is referred to in paragraph126.aof this chapter;

c. Mr Thomson used his credit cards to pay hotel bills which included the amounts set out in paragraphs142,154and167of this chapter, totalling $3.72 on telephoning escort agencies while he was travelling away from home and staying in hotels;

There are 1227 pages. Tomorrow’s papers will have it precised nicely.

Mr. Nassios recommends the entire report go to the DPP but chapter 21 deals mainly with the need for the DPP to consider money spent on escort services, cash withdrawals, money spent on Mr. Thomsons campaign for a parliamentary seat and HSU funds spent after Mr. Thomson’s resignation from union employment.

The evidence …

The evidence is sometimes hard to find and in complex cases can be hard to sift through.

Mr. Williamson of the HSU perhaps did the police a couple of favours by taking a few documents with him as he left the office yesterday. Could well be the first documents they look at!

Meanwhile, in Canada, a tandem hang gliding instructor swallowed the video card after he dropped off his client. Sadly, he dropped her off at about 1000 feet above the ground. Her boyfriend bought the flight as a gift and was waiting his turn for a ride when he saw her fall. The ride is videoed as part of the deal.

Police say a series of X-rays have confirmed the memory card is still inside William Orders, who has been charged with obstructing justice. Court documents allege the 50-year-old swallowed the card that stored digital video of the flight, which could be crucial evidence in the death of his client . He is to remain in custody while the card passes through his body.

And then more sifting.