Funding of Craig Thomson’s former union lifts Labor’s coffers

Craig Thomson

CRAIG Thomson is at the centre of credit card allegations.
Source: PerthNow




EMBATTLED MP Craig Thomson’s previous employer has received large sums in state funding at the same time it donated huge funds to the Labor Party.


In the past two years, Workcover in NSW has given the Health Services Union, now in dissarray over corruption allegations, more than $300,000 in grants.

In May, Workcover gave the HSU $175,861 for “education and training programs” associated with Julia Gillard’s occupational health and safety law changes.

In 2009-10, a Workcover spokeswoman confirmed, $138,320 was given to the union for “an education and training program to address bullying and harassment issues within health services”. In 2002-03, the year Mr Thomson’s alleged rorting of union funds began, the HSU received a $100,000 grant.

In 2009-10, the HSU donated $146,502 to NSW Labor and it has given Labor more than $700,000 over the past decade. A Workcover spokeswoman said the WorkCover Assist Grants Program was established in 2002 to fund research, education and training projects and this year it gave $6.7 million to unions and employer associations. “The program is transparent and conducted within strict probity requirements,” she said.

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The Advertiser can reveal that Mr Thomson’s hiring of six full-time union staff while national secretary from 2002-2007 has also been questioned, with an external audit finding no records to authorise their employment.

In an audit to HSU national secretary Kathy Jackson, the union’s auditor, Iaan Dick, said he had not been able to find letters for staff appointments “nor have I been able to locate any minutes authorising employment packages”.

Mr Thomson, who received a salary of $154,536 plus motor vehicle when he was HSU boss, is accused of spending $150,000-plus in union funds on prostitutes and other personal items.

Ms Jackson, in a letter to legal firm Slater and Gordon, highlighted an “apparent lack of documentation” during Mr Thomson’s period in office.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott called on Prime Minister Julia Gillard to intervene to ensure a full inquiry.

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