Tag: Thomson

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.

Thomson 72 – decency 70 …

Tight match in parliament yesterday as the opposition attempted to have Mr. Thomson suspended.

Taking away Mr. T’s own vote it means that there are 71 other people in parliament that think it’s just fine to spend other people’s money on prostitutes, lunches, unauthorised fares and election campaigns without their permission. And it’s fine to go on spending their money even after ceasing to be associated with them.

Hard to pick the man of the match, Oakeshott and Windsor would have to be in the running.

Ain’t democracy wonderful.

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.

Corruption …

As it emerges that Mr. Williamson enjoyed yet another credit card, kindly paid for by a grandmother working part-time on his staff, I was reminded of the recent polished prose of Graham Richardson: firstly on Craig Thomson and then on Mr W.

“To believe Thomson never visited the house of ill-repute that appears on his credit card statement, you would have to believe that a person unknown stole his credit card, forged his signature, stole his driver’s licence – a copy of which was appended to the credit card payment – and also stole his phone, which was used three times between the Central Coast and the city of Sydney to call the house on the day in question.

Further, you would have to believe that the credit card, the licence and the phone were all miraculously returned the next day.”

 

“The NSW chief, Michael Williamson, has done particularly well for himself. Apart from being paid more than $300,000 a year, he has organised for companies in which he or other members of his family have the sole or controlling interest to supply IT services to the union and, now it has been revealed, secretarial services as well…”