Radio host Ben Fordham's claims Ms Gillard was being investigated by police

[azureline**]

2GB host Ben Fordham told his listeners today he wanted to correct comments made by Ms Gillard during an interview in March that canvassed the AWU case.

Fordham said the police were still taking statements and had asked him to make a formal statement relating to the March 7 interview.

Courier mail today.

:^O really? would police really do that?

[newstart2380]

Yep, News Corp reporting dirt rather than news about Gonski reforms.

They really do hate her, there is no doubt about that.

If you feel that she has been "hard done by" and the reporting is not balanced contact 2GB and ask the question why they are not reporting the education reforms although it does get lots of coverage on TV (which is great) BTW a liberal premier was the first to sign on yaaaaaaaaaaay

[freakiness]

If you feel that she has been "hard done by" and the reporting is not balanced contact 2GB and ask the question why they are not reporting the education reforms although it does get lots of coverage on TV (which is great) BTW a liberal premier was the first to sign on yaaaaaaaaaaay

No Thanks, I had enough of 2GB over the NBN.

I will not speak to them, nor would I trust their take on anything.

[newstart2380]

Fixed it for you

Talking about carbon tax, did anyone hear RG today ? Australia exports 96% of its gas to overseas countries whilst our gas prices will rise after July 1.

Sorry if I seem a little bewildered but that does not make sense, we all want gas but no one wants it in their back yard.

[kengillard]

$4 billion for the Bruce Highway????

Where's that coming from??  The bottom of the garden, where the fairies live.

[catsnknots]

$4 billion for the Bruce Highway????

Where's that coming from??  The bottom of the garden, where the fairies live.

old promises... 

that money is there... they have already started the work, it has been going on for a long time now... you can't give money for half the job and not the other half... 

she is spinning it and I am just waiting for the full details to show it is old money she is regifting. 

[lightningdance]

Labor bribing its staff to the tune of $6000 per head to beg them not to desert the sinking ship before the election.

So we have a Labor party campaigning on the public purse months before the election is due, & now the staffers getting a massive bonus in an election year on the public purse. 

The warning signs have been ignored on the worsening economic outlook for over 2 years,  at last the media are taking notice.

They don't care where the money is coming from. They'll beggar this country before they're through.

Is there no level this failed govt. won't sink to? no depth that hasn't been plumbed?...errr no.

[kengillard]

well how come she made it sound like it was 'new' money Cat.   devious little ship.

[nero_bolt]

AWU scandal: police investigation broadens

The Herald Sun reports:

VICTORIAN police are escalating their investigation into the union scandal involving Julia Gillard’s... engaging forensic accountants to track hundreds of thousands of dollars in allegedly suspect payments.

As detectives continue to interview key witnesses in the Australian Workers Union slush fund scandal, Ms Gillard yesterday denied claims from a Sydney radio host that she was being investigated by police over the affair.

Sydney broadcaster Ben Fordham yesterday alleged  the Prime Minister was being “investigated” as part of the wider police probe.

The 2GB host claimed he’d been contacted by Victorian police following a robust March 7 interview with the Prime Minister and asked “to make a formal statement”.

The police are interested in comments made by Julia Gillard in the interview with me,” Mr Fordham told his listeners.

Mr Fordham told listeners he knew “for a fact that the Prime Minister is being investigated” by the Victorian police.

But a spokesman for Ms Gillard said the PM has “never been contacted by police and never been asked to provide a statement”.

Read on for details on the breadth of the investigation.

Hedley Thomas and Pia Akerman also have more:

A FORMER union employee who has told of depositing $5000 into Julia Gillard’s bank account at the di...

Ms Gillard has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in relation to the money…

The Australian is aware that detectives have questioned more than 12 witnesses since late last year who had direct knowledge of the Australian Workers Union slush fund scandal, the role of Ms Gillard at law firm Slater & Gordon and admissions by former AWU official Ralph Blewitt that he helped perpetrate a major fraud at the union.

Ms Gillard says she provided legal advice to help set up the AWU Workplace Reform Association, which her then boyfriend Bruce Wilson later used to carry out the alleged fraud. She later described the association as a “slush fund” for the re-election of union officials, but said she had no knowledge of its operations.

Wayne Hem, a former AWU employee, said yesterday that Fraud Squad detectives wanted him to say as little as possible to the media about his upcoming statement: “I’ve been asked not to say what my role is going to be.”

And note again:

The alleged AWU fraud took place between 1992 and 1995. The Prime Minister - who was a partner at Slater & Gordon and in a relationship with Mr Wilson at this time - has steadfastly denied any knowledge of the alleged wrongdoing.

Michael Smith is, as usual, all over these developments.  

He is also surprised that the media treats Fordham’s account of having been interviewed by police as merely “claims”.

People are getting their wires crossed on the Gillard AWU story. Gillard confirms her previous statements still stand.  Grace Collier outlines that statement succinctly:

Hedley and I have both written about the ‘AWU scandal’. Some weeks ago I sent the following question to the PM’s office after speaking with the police: ‘I am asserting that the PM is a subject of a police enquiry.

I believe the investigation was initiated in response to an allegation made against the PM, specifically that she created a false document …

I am wanting to know whether the PM is aware the investigation is into whether this allegation is correct and if so whether she intends to comply.

By comply I mean respond to any police requests for interview that may be made.’ And the PM’s response: ‘The investigation into this matter has been known for some time.

As the Prime Minister has repeatedly made clear, she was not involved in any wrongdoing. The investigation is a matter for the police.’

The Prime Minister hasn’t denied my assertion that she is a subject of a police enquiry, nor have the Victorian Police corrected it.

I get really dirty with the journos when they say Gillard “denies” AWU investigation claims.

She hasn’t denied there is an AWU investigation into her. She’s denied she did anything wrong. There is a big difference and it needs to be made.  

http://blogs.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/andrewbolt/index.php/dailytelegraph/comments/awu_scandal_police_investigation_broadens/

[lakeland27]

so NW no reputable sources as usual, just the everyday professional gillard bashers doing what they are paid for. smear. what a pathetic bunch of grubs.

[catsnknots]

well how come she made it sound like it was 'new' money Cat.   devious little ship.

I am not sure.. I will let you know when I get more fact but I know that fund that they have set up for this type of infrastructure has been there for a long time now. 

and lets see the budget... she can make whatever promises she likes... if the Coalition comes in and there is no way we can afford it then it probably will get delayed. 

She can promise whatever she likes... she won't be there come Sep 14th....