Reasons not to vote LABOR.

[Rorschach]

No need to be coy, Ms Gillard
* From: The Australian
* October 17, 2012 12:00AM

THE question of whether the procurement of prostitutes constitutes sexist or misogynist behaviour is widely contested in feminist circles. Yet there is, to put it mildly, a hint of hypocrisy in Julia Gillard's forceful condemnation of Tony Abbott last week in view of her silence on former Labor MP Craig Thomson's alleged use of Health Services Union funds for sexual services.

As Fair Work Australia's statement of claim against Mr Thomson lodged in the Federal Court says, "no reasonable person" could have believed that the use of his union credit card "to incur escort services was in the best interests of the HSU". The same goes for the alleged expenditure of union members' funds on airfares for his family and his election campaign.

While allowing Mr Thomson the presumption of innocence, the Prime Minister should have welcomed the fact that the matters are to be tested in court, and dissociated her government from the discredited union.

Ms Gillard may come to regret hiding behind a counterfeit smokescreen of sub judice. As with her prevarication over the behaviour of former Speaker Peter Slipper, Ms Gillard runs the risk that by failing to express abhorrence for alleged misdeeds they will come back to bite her. The Prime Minister says she will not "war-game a lot of hypothetical questions about a matter that is before the courts". Mr Thomson, however, made a mockery of her reluctance yesterday by giving an extensive television interview on Sky News. And Trade Minister Craig Emerson tried, without much conviction, to turn the issue on the Opposition Leader, accusing Mr Abbott of acting as "judge and jury". The problem is that Mr Thomson is the government's problem, not Mr Abbott's. Fair Work Australia's legal action and the issues raised in its 200-page statement of claim make the issue fair game for political debate and squarely in the public interest.

Ms Gillard consistently expressed "full confidence" in Mr Thomson after the allegations against him arose. When that position became untenable she encouraged him to move to the crossbenches because "a line has been crossed". It is now untenable for Ms Gillard to keep silent about a shameful issue of probity at the heart of the labour movement. She and her ministers won't gag this debate.

[Aussie]

Too late.....even though it seems he has bullet proof explanations.

Are the Thomson claims too old?

Separate legal judgement may prove invaluable for troubled Labor MP Craig Thomson in his fight to beat accusations from more than five years ago.

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Fair Work Australia’s general manager has dismissed claims from embattled independent MP Craig Thomson’s legal team that charges against him were made to appease media and politicians.

Mr Thomson’s lawyer Chris McArdle says he will argue that Fair Work Australia has launched a civil case against him to get ’’the press and politicians off their back’’ and should be forced to pay his costs.

During a senate inquiry this morning Shadow Workplace Relations Minister Eric Abetz asked Fair Work Australia general manager Bernadette O’Neill whether anyone pressured her to file proceedings against Mr Thomson?
Independent MP Craig Thomson speaks to the media during a doorstop interview at Parliament House in Canberra on Thursday 24 May 2012.Photo: Alex Ellinghausen

Confident civil action will fail … Craig Thomson. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen

‘‘No Senator,’’ Ms O’Neill said.
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On Monday Fair Work brought proceedings in the Federal Court against Mr Thomson, the former Labor MP who now sits on the crossbenches, carrying potential fines and compensation payments of up to $450,000.

But Fair Work concedes more than half the allegations - which include Mr Thomson spending thousands of dollars of union funds on prostitutes - could be thrown out on the grounds that the legal time limit has been exceeded.

Ms O'Neill said, ‘‘I’m aware of that issue... I’ve obtained advice on the issue and I’ve taken that into account into deciding that it was in the public interest to commence those proceedings and including that I’ve formed the view that we have reasonable prospects of success.’’

Mr McArdle said that ''if this case runs we will apply under the Fair Work Act for costs to be awarded in Mr Thomson's favour because the action was commenced without reasonable cause and for a collateral purpose, namely to get the press and the politicians off their back''.

The Federal Court is still considering an appeal in a separate case between the Fair Work Ombudsman and Toyota Material Handling, which found there was a two-year statute of limitations, or time limit, for actions under the old industrial act, the provisions of which were rolled into the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009.

That is the act Mr Thomson is alleged to have breached 37 times when he worked for the HSU up to 2007, with each alleged breach potentially punishable by fines of up to $6600.

If they were thrown out because of the time limit, Mr Thomson would still face 25 allegations he breached the Health Services Union's rules. If found proved, these would not attract a financial penalty but could involve compensation.

The financial penalties are the most immediate potential political ramification for the minority government, because if Mr Thomson was bankrupted he would be disqualified from sitting in Parliament. Being found at fault in a civil case does not preclude an MP from serving.

But Mr Thomson said he was confident ''this civil action has no legs at all'' and bankruptcy was not something he had contemplated.

A directions hearing in the case is set for December 7.

This morning Senator Abetz also asked why action had not been sought against Mr Thomson for providing ‘‘false and misleading’’ evidence to the investigation, which Fair Work’s investigation alleged.

‘‘These are findings that have been made that will be tested in the federal court,’’ Ms O’Neill said.

‘‘Once the federal court has determined what actually happened that would give rise to whether there was in fact a contravention.’’

Also during the inquiry Ms O’Neill revealed that external legal costs for the investigations into the HSU had reached at least $1.3 million, with accounting fees close to $90,000.

Oh dear.....read more

[Rorschach]

and they reckon I'm lazy... at least I read things edit things highlight important points and add comments/opinions.

You just dump a slab crap and all.

I agree though it is a reason NOT TO VOTE LABOR

The only thing bullet proof about Thomson is his thick head.

[IQS.RLOW]

even though it seems he has bullet proof explanations

What explanations are those that are bullet proof?
Is it the lack of explanatiothor how his phone was used by 'someone' to ring a brothel and within 10 mins Thomson called an associate from the same number? That over $100k worth of cash withdrawals and brothel money has been directly tied to him?

You are pure fucking filth saying this walkng STD has "bulletproof" explanations.
Dirty fucking labor scum. If Thommo raped your grand kids, you would defend him, you sick piece of shit

[Rorschach]

It was his evil twin brother remember his drivers licence was used to id the payments.

[Aussie]

Take great care you two.........his Lawyer has given ample warning concerning repetition of that stuff.

[IQS.RLOW]

His lawyer will also struggle to get paid now labor aren't paying his dodgy and FAILED litigation.

You must be his adviser

[IQS.RLOW]

Craig Thomson, ALP member for Dobel is a filthy piece of shit who used HSU members money to pay for prostitutes.

Aussie defends him because Aussie was one of the prostitutes he fucked

[IQS.RLOW]

What explanations are those that are bullet proof?

Bump for the defender of a piece of shit who buys women because he is unable to pull a root by himself

[Rorschach]

What I said is already public knowledge Aussie, just because you don't know stuff doesn't mean everyone else is like you.