There are more details being released surrounding Craig Thomson's disgraceful misuse of HSU members' funds while working as an official at the HSU. These include:

- spending almost $6,000 via credit card on prostitutes
- almost $270,000 of HSU funds that were not authorised by the union to fund Thomson's election campaign for the seat he now holds in Federal parliament
- cash withdrawals totalling more than $100,000 that were not authorised by the union
- just under $1,500 billed to the union AFTER he resigned for what he described as "his own personal benefit"
- almost $74,000 in "entertainment expenses" that were not authorised by the union, some of which was not spent on union business

This report is a damning indictment of Craig Thomson and shows that he has not been honest in his explanations of the misuse of HSU funds. Thomson is now expected to face charges in the Federal court over his misuse of HSU funds. Gillard should completely sever all ties with this lying, stealing grub, refuse to accept his votes and call an election as she clearly is a person of extremely poor judgement and character.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/fair-work-australia-finds-craig-thomson-sp...

http://bigpondnews.com/articles/TopStories/2012/05/07/HSU_cash_on_electioneering...

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/newshome/13623173/union-funds-used-for-elec...

FWA Investigator Terry Nassios found that while Mr Thomson denied the escort payments, “the preponderance of evidence is such that I can only conclude that it was indeed Mr Thomson who used his credit card ... for the procurement of escort services.”

The investigation found a total of 181 contraventions of the Fair Work Act and union rules, of which 156 relate Mr Thomson and include 98 that could attract fines if proven in court.

However, FWA did not find any criminal behaviour that could have attracted a jail sentence of a year or more, an outcome that would disqualify Mr Thomson from parliament and potentially bring down the Labor minority government.

Mr Thomson said in a statement he would defend all allegations and denied any wrongdoing.

He also attacked FWA for being unfair in its investigation - which started as an inquiry following media reports about him in April 2009 - and breaching its own legislation.

The report found multiple failings regarding the union’s financial controls, including a lack of rules governing credit card use, no proper auditing and officials’ wages being set without checks by the union’s national bodies.

Mr Thomson is alleged to have spent more than $71,000 in HSU funds on his campaign for the federal seat of Dobell, as well as almost $200,000 on national office staffers connected to his campaign.

After being elected, he charged $1425 to two union credit cards for meals and taxis.

Between 2002 and 2007, he made more than $103,000 in cash withdrawals on a CBA Mastercard, not all of which could be shown to have been for “legitimate union purposes“, the report said.

And not all of $73,849 spent on credit cards for dining or entertainment between 2002 to 2007 was for legitimate union purposes, it said.

Workplace Relations Minister Bill Shorten said the report was “disturbing”.

He said the conduct of HSU officials referred to in the FWA report had “no place in a modern, democratic and honest trade union movement”.

“I must say I find the findings of the report disturbing,” Mr Shorten told reporters in Canberra on Monday.

“I find them extremely disappointing as a former union official.”

Prime Minister Julia Gillard told her Labor caucus on Monday, in a veiled reference to the HSU affair, that Labor believed a “worker’s dollar” should be used properly, be it by the government, unions or business.

Maqqa wrote on May 7^th, 2012 at 10:59pm:


Or "Craig Thomson is innocent"

Or "Craig Thomson has the PM's full support"

Or "There will be no carbon tax under a government I lead"

Or the best one...

"I have no freaking idea what my PM said, but let me say I fully support whatever the hell that stupid old hag said"

progressiveslol wrote on May 8^th, 2012 at 6:21am:


Thomson should now resign from parliament immediately. He absolutely no chance of being re-elected. His position is untenable and the ALP would be suicidal to bring him back into the party.

cods wrote on May 8^th, 2012 at 8:21am:



She needed his vote

Gist wrote on May 8^th, 2012 at 9:02am:

FWA are not the police so cant make that statement with any authority. I dont even know why they would make that statement apart from putting a bucket of water on a bush fire. FWA = Labor lackies.

Gist wrote on May 8^th, 2012 at 9:16am:

The other investigations were obviously half hearted. Why else would williamson be caught carrying out paperwork if it had already been collected as evidence.

This aint over by a long shot.

Gist wrote on May 8^th, 2012 at 9:32am:

I just gave you the details tool. Go be an idiot on someone elses time.