The Slush Fund That Won't Go Away

[icyfroth]

Former prime minister Julia Gillard is facing further scrutiny of her role in helping to set up a fraudulent union slush fund as Victorian police prepare to charge a key player in the saga.

A senior Victoria Police detective has told self-confessed AWU bagman and fraudster Ralph ­Blewitt that he will very soon be criminally charged over his role in the union slush fund set up with Ms Gillard’s legal advice.

Mr Blewitt said yesterday he intended to plead not guilty and would instruct his lawyers to subpoena witnesses, including Ms Gillard, to give evidence under oath.

Detective Sergeant Ross Mitchell of the Fraud Squad, who has been leading the two-year investigation, which provided key evidence to the ongoing royal commission into union graft, has told Mr Blewitt that at least two charges will be levelled in Victoria.

Mr Blewitt, who has admitted his involvement in fraud with his friend and former union boss Bruce Wilson, and their slush fund, the Australian Workers Union Workplace Reform Ass­ociation, yesterday said he understood others would be charged

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prosecution for multiple fraud-related offences [and] criticised Ms Gillard’s determination to deny under oath that thousands of dollars — “wads of notes” — were handed to her by Mr Wilson during the renovation of her Melbourne home, as witnessed by a builder, Athol James. Another witness, Wayne Hem, was also found to be truthful about $5000 being deposited in her bank account.

Gillard denies any suggestion of wrongdoing.

Entire Article Here

Oh dear. Memory loss in one so young is a sad thing  😞

[cherry*135]

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@village_person wrote:

Don't forget am*3, your mother is a prostitute according to Ms Gillard. Will you defend your mother or will you accept it?

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What a foul post.

[karliandjacko]

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@icyfroth wrote:

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@the_great_she_elephant wrote:

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Yes it seems to be a very convenient excuse when you want to wriggle out an allegation, and Ms Gillard is making full use of it.

Really? In which court is she doing this and with what has she been charged?

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Oh you can' recall either?

You know very well the Royal Commission and the allegations of corruption against her. Don't try be disingenous, it doesn't suit you.

Gillard denies any suggestion of wrongdoing.

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I saw her appearance at the RC.  

What you posted was a muck raking opinion piece from the Australian.  

She answered all questions put to her and only said she did not recall in answer to a few questions that it would not be expected that anyone would recall thirty years after the event.  Do you remember which chair you sat on at 11 am on the 21st of August 1985? or which cafe you grabbed lunch from on the 8th of February 1986 and who you spoke to that day?

What did you have for lunch on the 7th July 2004?

Btw, Julia Gillard was dismissed by the RC after her evidence.  I'm fairly sure that means they have no more questions for her.

[#4]

Gillard denies any suggestion of wrongdoing.

[#5]

Gillard denies any suggestion of wrongdoing.

[cherry*135]

Mr Blewiitt - known fraudster

from the op

Mr Blewitt said yesterday he intended to plead not guilty and would instruct his lawyers to subpoena witnesses, including Ms Gillard, to give evidence under oath.

Only The Australian gave this  'air time'. It has no substance at all at present time.

ABC - May 2014

He received, I guess what you could call a detailed character assessment from former prime minister Julia Gillard back in 2012 when she said that "Mr Blewitt, according to people who know him," as she said, "has been described as a complete imbecile, an idiot, a stooge, a sexist pig, a liar and his sister has said he's a crook and rotten to the core."

[karliandjacko]

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@am*3 wrote:

Mr Blewiitt - known fraudster

from the op

Mr Blewitt said yesterday he intended to plead not guilty and would instruct his lawyers to subpoena witnesses, including Ms Gillard, to give evidence under oath.

Only The Australian gave this  'air time'. It has no substance at all at present time.

ABC

He received, I guess what you could call a detailed character assessment from former prime minister Julia Gillard back in 2012 when she said that "Mr Blewitt, according to people who know him," as she said, "has been described as a complete imbecile, an idiot, a stooge, a sexist pig, a liar and his sister has said he's a crook and rotten to the core."

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Only the Australian was instrumental in paying Blewitt to return to Australia with the promise they would pay any penalties he received.

[icyfroth]

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@the_great_she_elephant wrote:

So what was she charged with following her appearance at the royal commission? What is she being charged with in the pending court case mentioned in your OP?

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Where in the op does it say she is being charged with anything?

It says she is being subpoena'd as a witness. 

[karliandjacko]

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@icyfroth wrote:

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@the_great_she_elephant wrote:

So what was she charged with following her appearance at the royal commission? What is she being charged with in the pending court case mentioned in your OP?

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Where in the op does it say she is being charged with anything?

It says she is being subpoena'd as a witness. 

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Yes it seems to be a very convenient excuse when you want to wriggle out an allegation, and Ms Gillard is making full use of it.

You know very well the Royal Commission and the allegations of corruption against her. Don't try be disingenous, it doesn't suit you.

The only accusations of corruption against Julia Gillard are being made by a few who hold long term grudges against her, including the lacking all credibility Blewitt, who abused his own sister.   

Chances are Blewitt has been on the payback trail ever since she discovered what he was doing.

[karliandjacko]

Yes it seems to be a very convenient excuse when you want to wriggle out an allegation, and Ms Gillard is making full use of it.

You know very well the Royal Commission and the allegations of corruption against her. Don't try be disingenous, it doesn't suit you.

The only accusations of corruption against Julia Gillard are being made by a few who hold long term grudges against her, including the lacking all credibility Blewitt, who abused his own sister.   

Chances are Blewitt has been on the payback trail ever since she discovered what he was doing.

[the_great_she_elephant]

It says she is being subpoena'd as a witness.

No it doesn't. It says Blewitt (who as yet has not actually been charged with anything) has said he will instruct his lawyer to subpoena witnesses (note the plural)  including Gillard. Nobody has yet been subpoened  and there  still exists a  possibility that his lawyer may advise him against calling any or all of these witnesses. He/she may decide  that their testimony is more likely to harm than help the defence. 

[icyfroth]

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@the_great_she_elephant wrote:

It says she is being subpoena'd as a witness.

No it doesn't. It says Blewitt (who as yet has not actually been charged with anything) has said he will instruct his lawyer to subpoena witnesses (note the plural)  including Gillard. Nobody has yet been subpoened  and there  still exists a  possibility that his lawyer may advise him against calling any or all of these witnesses. He/she may decide  that their testimony is more likely to harm than help the defence. 

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Well we'll have to wait and see, won't we?

[debra9275]

Yes, so she is not "facing further scrutiny" as posted in the OP ,but Blewitt could well be if he subpoenas her, is the most likely scenario

[karliandjacko]

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@icyfroth wrote:

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@the_great_she_elephant wrote:

It says she is being subpoena'd as a witness.

No it doesn't. It says Blewitt (who as yet has not actually been charged with anything) has said he will instruct his lawyer to subpoena witnesses (note the plural)  including Gillard. Nobody has yet been subpoened  and there  still exists a  possibility that his lawyer may advise him against calling any or all of these witnesses. He/she may decide  that their testimony is more likely to harm than help the defence. 

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Well we'll have to wait and see, won't we?

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In the mean time how is she making full use of the do not recall defence?