New South Wales Labor polititian Craig Thomson described by many a a ‘Firebrand” seems to have excelled himself at a recent public rally attacking a salvation army worker claiming that he would name and shame her in parliament.
Thomson claims that he was not given a fair go when a majority of the crowd booed and heckled him over recent allegations of fraud and using his credit card for sexual services when in his previous position as the boss of the Hospital Services Union.
The worker Ms Duff was seated when the Thomson tirade began and most of those in attendance witnessed Thomson spray spittle over here face in the close encounter.
All aspiring polititians should be reminded that spitting on your constituants is not a very good career move and should only be done in moderation.
Craig Thomson is not entirely unknown to controversy as his meteoric rise within the ranks of the corrupt right wing factions that exist within the trade union movement and the Australian Labor party clearly show , incompetence and alleged criminal activities were no impediment to Thomsons preselection and subsequent election as a member of the Labor party .
As a former Leader in Australia’s most dysfunctional union Craig Thomson may yet play a pivitol part in the defeat of the Gillard Labor government.
The Labor party is under constant pressure from the shadow Attorney General George Brandis after he seized on an admission by Labor M.P Craig Thomson that he approved payments to a escort service while state secretary of the Hospital Services Union in 2007.
Thomson entered parliament in 2007 after a less then distinguished career as a trade union official,one that would make genuine trade unionists embarassed to know.
Thomson would not know a real worker if he fell over one, never came through the ranks, he is a beacon of where the union movement and the labor party have lost their way
Documents recently presented in a defamation case Thomson was persuing against Fairfax media clearly showed that a credit card in Thomsons name was used to make payments to the operators of a Sydney brothel and various escort services as well as exhorbitent dining in restaurants and bars.
Thomson strenuously denied these allegations when they first appeared in the media and took action for defamation against Fairfax .
In the process of the Supreme court action his mobile phone records,drivers licence details and credit card vouchers with his signature show he a used Health Services Union credit card to pay for the services of a Sydney brothel.
The disgraceful conduct of the union in New South wales and Victoria is legendary in trade union and political circles with allegations of corrupt behaviour ,sexual misconduct ,theft and thuggery rife within in the ranks of its officials.
This of course is where the tragedy lies, a once proud and militant union with a long history of fighting for the genuine interests of its members is now a former shell of itself.
Where did this once good union lose its way, the answer is not hard to find and lays squarely in the hands of the right wing factions within the trade union movement and the now diminished Australian Labor party. Both seem to be content on bringing all parties into disrepute in their bloodthirsty grab for power at all costs.
Its all about numbers at Labor party conferences – about who holds the most power and officials of this union have been completly duped by party henchmen such as Shorten, Conroy and David Feeney.
These Labor politicians were responsible for the coup that led to the sacking of Kevin Rudd, the elected Prime Minister of this country.
It says nothing of the judgement of these three henchmen that they supported Thomson for the marginal seat of Dobell.
That is why most people suspect that the pre-selection method is as corrupt as the factions existing in the Australian labor Party
Thomson recently admitted on Radio 2UE that he did approve the credit card payment on a Health Services Union credit card to the Sydney brothel.
As Secretary of the union before entering parliament in 2007 he said “I authorise all credit card bills ” when quizzed about the payments of $2475 to a brothel 2 years previous.
The bill appeared on Thomsons own union supplied credit card, but his version of events was soon to rival that of a Grimm Brothers’ fairy tale ‘I didn’t know it was a brothel” and “the union reached a settlement with another gentleman who paid back $15,000 in relation to the use of union credit cards at a brothel” .
The gentleman in question is believed to have held a very senior position in the Victorian branch of the union and should have been financially in a position to pay for his own doona dancing
Talk about being inconsistent, he claims that the brothel services that were provided to some other Tom Dick or Harry, goes to the point of criminal negligence as the boss of the union, what was his responsibility to report this theft of union resources to his members?
There are no records that suggest that the matter was ever brought before the management of the union.
Can we be convinced that Thomson was not covering up his own criminal fraud by using Health Services union funds for brothel services or the criminal fraud of other people?
To be sure that Thomsons credit card was the one used to book the services of the brothel, documents provided to the court show statements in Thomsons name for the figures $2437 and $385 linked to Keywed Pty Ltd Restaurant in Surrey Hills on April 9 2005 and August 16 2007.
That company name was linked to to the escort agency, Sydney Outcall, s a company in the business of providing escort services in the adult industry. The statements provided by the brothel are more discreet so that they look more like a culinary experience than a more sensual one.
Thomson dropped his defamation claim agaist the Fairfax media in deeply secret circumstances recently saying he could not afford to pursue the matter. Maybe he should have charged it to his credit card.
The simple answer is that Thomson was caught with his pants well and truly down and the allegations against him were spot on.
The implications for the Gillard government are extreme as the numbers in parliament are virtually on a razor’s edge. If criminal proceedings were instituted against Thomson, who holds the marginal seat of Dobell, and if he was convicted, he would be thrown out of parliament meaning that the government would have to proceed to a by-election which would mean a monumental defeat of the Gillard government.
Summo says
HSU members in NSW 36,000 x $600 membership. $22million. What in blazes does a union do with $22 million? I think we know who is exploiting the workers in this country after all.
Canny Granny says
The police have now confirmed that it it’s Thomson’s signature on the credit card – at least I think they have. I read it in the Herald Sun and you know, from experience, that you can only trust the date in that paper. (And even then check your calendar)
The Bagman says
Keep up that healthy cynicism Darren!
Darren Hynes says
Could be worse. He could be an informant to the US embassy. I’m looking at you Shorten.
Brian says
Glen – The Unions will never distance themselves from the Labor party. They ARE the Labor party. Anyway – if they did separate who would pay for the Labor ads at elections that outnumber Coalition ads by 5 to 1. (And yet Labor consistantly wants to ban organisations donating cash to political parties, so that they can make it 20 to 1). Sadly, Labor will be better off if it gets a thumping at the next election and most of its current sitting members leave politics for good making way for new blood who are not all Union thugs.
Olive says
When Thomson was National Secretary, Michael Williamson was National President and Kathy Jackson was Assistant Secretary. I would have thought that they had meetings and discussed spending. Oh, I forgot Michael Williamson was the National President of the ALP and one of the faceless men behind the sacking of Rudd. Kathy Jackson, we all know what she is capable of
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Margaret says
Seems that the HSU cannot even pay thir legal fees. Are they in trouble financially too
Glen says
Is it not time for unions to sever their ties with the ALP? How about following the lead of unions like the ETU, and asking their members if they are happy being affiliated to the ALP. Give the members a say, instead of using the members dues to allow the ALP boys, and girls, to use them as springboard into parliament, or other ruling class bodies.
Margaret says
So Thomson claims someone paid back the $15000. It seems very very strange that $15000 appears a lot of times. Could it be the $15000 that an ex official of the Victorian branch had to repay because he authorised pay increases for himself, with Branch Committee of Management approval. Oh dear, the disgusting and dysfunctional HSU looks like they will bring the Government down. Wonder how Madam is feeling out that.
yvette says
how disgusting, union officials (or anyone) using a credit card, from an organ that is meant to be forward marching the working class, in a brothel. all of them covering up for each other. i hope their wives know what dirty, seedy desperados they are. no room in the union movement for these scum and thompson and his ilk are why i cannot vote labour! surely this is fraud and he should be charged?.. and so should the unnamed ‘gentleman’ (excuse me while i throw up!).