Another Union Labor member in Jail Michael Williamson jailed for Health Services Union fraud

[nero_bolt]

So looking forward to the royal commission into union/labor corruption... 

Michael Williamson jailed for Health Services Union fraud

Former Health Services Union boss Michael Williamson and former Labor party president  has been jailed for at least five years for systematically defrauding the union of almost $1 million and hindering a police investigation.

Williamson showed no emotion as he was sentenced to a maximum 7½ years at Sydney's District Court on Friday.

In a damning judgment, Judge David Frearson said Williamson oversaw a "parasitic plundering of the union funds for pure greed".

The frauds were calculated, brazen and arrogant and involved an ‘‘extreme’’ breach of trust, Judge Frearson said.

"[It was] a reprehensible betrayal of the union and all its members," he said.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/michael-williamson-jailed-for-health-services-union-fraud-20140328-35n3f.h...

[pct001wine]

OP, the actual title of the Royal Commission is "Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption".

The link is here:   

http://www.attorneygeneral.gov.au/Mediareleases/Pages/2014/First%20Quarter/14March-2014-RoyalCommiss...

There is also a brief description of the TORs and a link to the .pdf of the Letters Patent should you be so inclined to view these.   I can't see the word "labor" in the TORs or title of the RC.

[poddster]

But PCT do you realise that there is much more than a tenuous link between Labor and the Unions?

They are as symbiotic as it gets 🙂

[tezza2844]

Williamson gone, Thomson gone .

Hope it won't stop there for the HSU rorters- Paying for child care under the veil of staff uniforms or training, -ski holidays for selected officals (union business), -employing boyfriends' teenage off springs during school holidays at a rate well over members wages just for photo copying and on it goes.

The police should investigate more of these ex-HSU unions officals who have been lining their pockets at members expense

[rabbitearbandicoot]

"he was sentenced to a maximum 7½ years at Sydney's District Court"

what a sentence !!! That's CRUEL!! At least they could have put in a proper prison.

[poddster]

Tezza, I feel sure that the Royal Commission, with it's far reaching powers will be looking very closely at union rorts and involvement in organised crime.

It is well beyond time that some of the corruption in the union was exposed for what it is

[lakeland27]

Williamson let a lot of people down. it's good to see him gone. now there's only peter reith's mate kathy jackson and her crew of right wing unionists to nail.

[tezza2844]

I'm pretty sure that the Royal Commission will uncover just more than union corruption. Probably the part taken by one vice president of the AWC part in the HSU scandals may emerge. Royal Commissions have a way of uncovering issues the originators of inquires would would not have and don't want revealed. .

[silverfaun]

This criminal was the President of the National Labor Party but that never got a mention.

Another thing I noticed from that announcement: there was no rally of the disappointed out front, no placards damning this thief, no outrage or indignation at this thief's greed, nothing, no one to be seen, typical.

Also the chicken **bleep**e way Shorten addressed the GG in his speech reply. The words Sir Peter never left his weasel bitter lips.

Everybody else addressed him as your Excellency General Sir Peter Cosgrove but all weasel could muster was your excellency.

He's not fit to stand on the same podium as the people who were there today.

[lakeland27]

 get real . there was a witch sitting there FGS

these imagined slights against lord pete are just fluff. weetbix packet knights and dames are just that,