Kathy Jackson

Health union taken to court by Fair Work

24 May 2012 | Patrick Durkin

PRINT: 24 May 2012 | PAGE 2 | Health union taken to court by Fair Work

Fair Work Australia has launched its first legal action against the beleaguered Health Services Union, alleging extravagant private trips, unexplained credit card payments and sly deals and bonuses.

IR prefers conflict to productivity

23 May 2012 | The Australian Financial Review

PRINT: 23 May 2012 | PAGE 2 | Traditional IR prefers conflict to productivity

Editorial | When the ACTU conference ended last week with a cheerful looking former prime minister, Bob Hawke, leading delegates in singing Solidarity Forever, it was an echo of a long-gone age.

House votes on Thomson

23 May 2012 | Laura Tingle

PRINT: 23 May 2012 | PAGE 1 | Thomson to face new test

Parliament has voted to refer embattled MP Craig Thomson to its powerful Privileges Committee to consider whether he misled Parliament in his hour-long defence on Monday.

Thomson’s tears help, in theory

23 May 2012 | Alan Stokes

PRINT: 23 May 2012 | PAGE 1 | Shed tears for fears: big boys do cry

Stokes | If Craig Thomson’s crying helped him find his humanity in the glare of publicity, it may also have helped him appear genuine, thus attracting empathisers.

Rival unionist rejects Thomson ‘hooker’ set-up claims

22 May 2012 | Mark Skulley

PRINT: 22 May 2012 | PAGE 4 | Rival unionist rejects ‘hooker’ set-up claims

Marco Bolano is a long-time friend and supporter of Kathy Jackson from her home base of Victoria.

Jackson’s court bid to resolve administrator issue

22 May 2012 | Michaela Whitbourn

PRINT: 22 May 2012 | PAGE 4 | HSU seeks single venue for hearing

Health Services Union national secretary Kathy Jackson has launched legal action to prevent two applications to appoint an administrator to the union’s troubled east branch from proceeding in different courts.

‘It’s a Fair Work conspiracy’

22 May 2012 | Laura Tingle

PRINT: 22 May 2012 | PAGE 1 | ‘It’s a Fair Work conspiracy’

The Labor government preserved its tenuous hold on power after a defiant speech by MP Craig Thomson to Parliament that questioned whether a senior Fair Work Australia official had influenced a “selective and biased” investigation that found he misused union funds.

Jackson demands right of reply

22 May 2012 | Pip Freebairn

PRINT: 22 May 2012 | PAGE 4 | Jackson seeks right of reply

The woman blamed by Craig Thomson for setting him up questioned the scandal-plagued MP’s sanity and demanded a right of reply against the allegation in Parliament.

Nation needs early election

22 May 2012 |

PRINT: 22 May 2012 | PAGE 1 | Nation needs early election

Editorial | Craig Thomson’s long awaited speech to the federal Parliament is unlikely to have changed any minds about whether he was responsible for the alleged misuse of union funds when he was the top official of the HSU.

IR power couple one hot item

22 May 2012 | Mark Skulley

PRINT: 22 May 2012 | PAGE 1 | IR power

Embattled MP Craig Thomson’s demands that Fair Work Australia answer questions about the role of one of its vice-presidents, Michael Lawler, in the investigation into the Health Services Union presents a quandary for the tribunal’s new president, Iain Ross.

Thomson’s explanations fail to shed light

22 May 2012 | Pip Freebairn

PRINT: 22 May 2012 | PAGE 4 | Explanations fail to shed light

Craig Thomson gave a number of explanations over the findings of the Fair Work Australia report against him yesterday, many explained as a set up by two Health Services Union colleagues who resented him for improving the governance of the union.

Unionist to speak at HR Nicholls Society event

16 May 2012 | Pip Freebairn

PRINT: 16 May 2012 | PAGE 2 | Jackson to speak at HR Nicholls

Outspoken Health Services Union national secretary Kathy Jackson will give the keynote address at the annual dinner of conservative industrial relations group the HR Nicholls Society, becoming only the second unionist speak at the group.

HSU’s Jackson to address HR Nicholls Society

15 May 2012 | Pip Freebairn

Outspoken HSU national secretary Kathy Jackson will give the keynote speech at the annual dinner of conservative industrial relations group the HR Nicholls Society, becoming only the second unionist to address the group.

Unions face challenge to recruit youth: Howes

14 May 2012 | Michaela Whitbourn

PRINT: 15 May 2012 | PAGE 2 | Unions face challenge to recruit youth: Howes

Another scandal of the sort engulfing the Health Services Union’s East branch could rip the union movement apart, Australian Workers Union national secretary Paul Howes has warned.

HSU files for administration

14 May 2012 |

The Health Services Union (HSU) East branch has filed for administration and has asked the Industrial Court of NSW to appoint an administrator to take control of its affairs.

Opposition derides Thomson’s explanation

14 May 2012 | Gemma Daley

PRINT: 14 May 2012 | PAGE 2 | Opposition derides Thomson’s claim

The opposition has dismissed ousted Labor MP Craig Thomson’s claim that he was set up by union rivals who wanted to link him to hookers to ruin his political career.

Government seeks HSU documents

11 May 2012 | Michaela Whitbourn

PRINT: 11 May 2012 | PAGE 2 | Wanted: key HSU branch documents

The Gillard government is seeking access to documents used to prepare a report that queried more than $17 million in dealings by the Health Services Union’s troubled East branch.

Union accounts given to police

11 May 2012 | Mark Skulley

PRINT: 11 May 2012 | PAGE 2 | Union accounts given to police

The chief executive of a credit union chaired by controversial unionist Michael Williamson said the organisation was co-operating with requests from police for access to account records.

Deal nearer on HSU branch control

10 May 2012 | Mark Skulley

PRINT: 10 May 2012 | PAGE 5 | NSW cuts deal on HSU intervention

The strife-torn East branch of the Health Services Union is edging closer to having an administrator appointed, amid new internal ructions over the sacking of a senior union employee.

Williamson still active in HSU affairs

09 May 2012 | Mark Skulley

Besieged president of the Health Services Union Michael Williamson is supporting a group of union officials and employees to run in future internal elections, according to internal emails.

Brothel figures add up to trouble

08 May 2012 | Natalie Gerritsen

PRINT: 08 May 2012 | PAGE 7 | Brothel figures add up to trouble

Details of how much it costs to hire an escort do not often make an appearance in the reports compiled by Australian federal tribunals, but the Fair Work Australia report into the operations of the national branch of the Health Services Union has more salacious detail than the average men’s magazine.

Failures of duty

08 May 2012 | Alex Boxsell

PRINT: 08 May 2012 | PAGE 3 | Failures of duty

Key union figures Michael Williamson and Kathy Jackson have been named for only a handful of contraventions of union rules in a report dominated by the conduct of embattled former Health Services Union national secretary Craig Thomson.

FWA slow to attack one of its own

08 May 2012 | The Australian Financial Review

PRINT: 08 May 2012 | PAGE 2 | FWA slow to attack one of its own

Editorial | The union movement may claim the HSU is just one bad apple, but any system should be judged by how it deals with its bad apples. By that measure, the IR system in general and Fair Work Australia fall very short.

Thomson case: it’s more than just a few bad apples

08 May 2012 | Mark Skulley

PRINT: 08 May 2012 | PAGE 3 | More than just a few bad apples

The trade union movement needs to get a new script, and fast, in the wake of the damning report into the Health Services Union’s national office.

Union sleaze threatens Labor

07 May 2012 | Pip Freebairn

PRINT: 08 May 2012 | PAGE 4 | Union sleaze threatens Labor

The fate of the minority Gillard ­government is in the balance after an investigation of the Health Services Union found 156 legal and rule breaches by federal MP and former union official Craig Thomson.

D-day: Fair Work on Thomson

07 May 2012 | Mark Skulley

PRINT: 07 May 2012 | PAGE 1 | D-Day: Fair Work on Thomson

The Gillard government is braced for release of details on the Fair Work Australia inquiry covering the period when crucial Federal MP Craig Thomson was national secretary of the Health Services Union.

Power struggle over HSU East branch administrator

05 May 2012 | Pip Freebairn

PRINT: 05 May 2012 | PAGE 2 | Power struggle over branch administrator

The federal and NSW governments are locked in a battle for control over the appointment of an administrator to a disgraced branch of the Health Services Union.

HSU boss remains on SGE board

05 May 2012 | Mark Skulley

PRINT: 05 May 2012 | PAGE 2 | HSU boss remains on SGE board

Besieged Health Services Union leader Michael Williamson is still on the board of the SGE credit union, where he took over as chairman in 2009 and has headed its internal governance committee.

O’Farrell seeks to sideline Shorten over HSU

04 May 2012 | Pip Freebairn

PRINT: 04 May 2012 | PAGE 1 | O’Farrell seeks to sideline Shorten in HSU legal battle

The NSW government has intervened in the battle to seize control of the disgraced HSU branch, a move that could derail Bill Shorten’s attempts to manage a scandal that is consuming Labor.

Police raid health union, seize files

02 May 2012 | Pip Freebairn

PRINT: 03 May 2012 | PAGE 1 | Police raid union, seize files

NSW police are considering criminal charges against Michael Williamson, the Health Services Union president who was questioned by police while leaving the union’s offices with documents.

HSU legal strife tipped

02 May 2012 | Mark Skulley

PRINT: 02 May 2012 | PAGE 4 | HSU legal strife tipped

Cleaning up the Health Services Union could turn into a protracted legal struggle, even though six branches support replacing elected officials with an administrator.

No peace likely in HSU brawl

30 April 2012 | Mathew Dunckley

PRINT: 30 April 2012 | PAGE 8 | No peace likely in HSU brawl

The departure of Craig Thomson from the Labor Party will do little to quell the war tearing apart the Health Services Union.

The curse of Labor’s union links

30 April 2012 | Mark Latham

PRINT: 30 April 2012 | PAGE 55 | The curse of Labor’s union links

Latham | Julia Gillard’s belated decision to suspend Craig Thomson from the Labor Party is only one of many decisions needed.

Storm began brewing nearly 10 years ago

30 April 2012 | Sophie Morris

PRINT: 30 April 2012 | PAGE 53 | Storm began brewing nearly 10 years ago

The saga surrounding Craig Thomson and Peter Slipper has all the drama, intrigue and lurid detail of one of Gore Vidal’s epic novels about politics, sex and power.

Judge queries Shorten move against HSU

26 April 2012 | Pip Freebairn

PRINT: 27 April 2012 | PAGE 1 | Judge queries Shorten move against HSU

A Federal Court judge has expressed scepticism about the Gillard government’s sudden decision to install an administrator to take control of the Health Services Union.

Union chief takes faction row to court

24 April 2012 | Pip Freebairn

PRINT: 24 April 2012 | PAGE 1 | Union chief takes faction row to court

The saga of the Health Services Union continued yesterday with head Kathy Jackson fighting in urgent court hearings to wrestle power from the man at the centre of the misconduct, Michael Williamson .

How did this man become president?

21 April 2012 | Lisa Murray

PRINT: 21 April 2012 | PAGE 44 | How did this man become president?

Michael Williamson is alleged to have put his family ahead of his duty as leader of the Health Services Union. Questions are now being asked about how this little known Labor figure came to be party president.

Angry Jackson slams Shorten

13 April 2012 | Pip Freebairn

PRINT: 13 April 2012 | PAGE 2 | Angry Jackson slams Shorten

Health Services Union national secretary Kathy Jackson yesterday claimed Workplace Relations Minister Bill Shorten had refused to meet to discuss the union’s crisis.

Combet ‘troubled’ by HSU conduct

12 April 2012 |

PRINT: 12 April 2012 | PAGE 6 | Combet ‘troubled’ by HSU conduct

Former union leader and now federal minister Greg Combet has spoken out with the fiercest criticism from a government official about the fraud allegations at the Health Services Union.

Credit card ban won’t fix HSU, says acting president

11 April 2012 |

A push to strip Health Services Union (HSU) officials of credit cards won't fix the problems of the embattled union, its acting president says.

Resignation, expulsion calls rack HSU

10 April 2012 | Marcus Priest

PRINT: 10 April 2012 | PAGE 5 | Resignation, expulsion calls rack HSU

The executive of the Health Services Union has called for NSW secretary Michael Williamson to resign and warned that charges would be prepared internally to expel him.

No criminal action against ‘tainted’ Thomson

05 April 2012 | Pip Freebairn

PRINT: 05 April 2012 | PAGE 4 | No criminal action against ‘tainted’ Thomson

Federal investigators cannot take criminal legal action against Labor MP Craig Thomson after a Fair Work Australia report found breaches of industrial laws.

HSU slams suspension announcement

05 April 2012 | Pip Freebairn

PRINT: 05 April 2012 | PAGE 4 | Suspension talk fought

Health Services Union leader Kathy Jackson has attacked the Australian Council of Trade Union’s announcement it might suspend the beleaguered union.

THE SAGA

04 April 2012 |

PRINT: 04 April 2012 | PAGE 6 | THE SAGA

2002 Craig Thomson elected national secretary of the HSU. 2007 Leaves HSU to become federal MP in seat of Dobell. Kathy Jackson replaces him as HSU head.

Health unionists face legal action

15 March 2012 | Mark Skulley

PRINT: 15 March 2012 | PAGE 3 | Health unionists face legal action

Updated | Three former officials of the Health Services Union’s main Victorian branch face Federal court action over alleged financial reporting breaches that could lead to hefty fines.

FWA head queries long union inquiry

16 February 2012 | Pip Freebairn

PRINT: 16 February 2012 | PAGE 5 | Health union probe finds 25 breaches

The acting general manager of Fair Work Australia has revealed that one of its two investigations into misconduct by Health Services Union officials found they broke the union’s own rules 25 times, but the FWA head refused to say whether a Labor minister was implicated.

Jackson ‘flagged ALP interference’ in HSU controversy

06 February 2012 | Mark Skulley

PRINT: 06 February 2012 | PAGE 5 | Jackson ‘flagged interference’

Outspoken union leader Kathy Jackson says she warned a workplace regulator in late 2010 that Labor Party figures wanted to sweep the controversy over the finances of the Health Services Union “under the carpet”.

Fair Work may keep HSU inquiry report secret

04 February 2012 | Mark Skulley

PRINT: 04 February 2012 | PAGE 9 | Fair Work may keep health union inquiry report secret

The workplace regulator, Fair Work Australia, has warned that the lengthy investigation into the tangled finances of the Health Services Union might not be made public.

HSU rebels go public against leaders

02 February 2012 | Mark Skulley

PRINT: 02 February 2012 | PAGE 9 | HSU rebels go public against leaders

The leadership of the Health Services Union has been accused of stonewalling members seeking more information over alleged financial improprieties.

Fair Work inquiry needed: HSU secretary

31 January 2012 |

The national secretary of the Health Services Union says an inquiry is needed into Fair Work Australia because of the way it has dealt with alleged irregularities by the union.

Thomson inquiry focuses on trio

27 January 2012 | Mark Skulley

PRINT: 27 January 2012 | PAGE 3 | Thomson inquiry focuses on trio

The minority federal government will head back to Parliament under the cloud of an investigation into the finances of the HSU which is considering making adverse findings against three individuals.

Jackson pulls out of HESTA board bid

09 December 2011 | Sally Patten

PRINT: 09 December 2011 | PAGE 3 | Jackson pulls out of HESTA bid

The Health Services Union will have to find another candidate for the board of HESTA superannuation fund after national secretary Kathy Jackson withdrew.

Health union row hits super

01 December 2011 | Sally Patten

PRINT: 01 December 2011 | PAGE 3 | Health union row hits super

Infighting within the national Health Services Union has spilled over to the $18 billion Hesta super­annuation fund after the annual meeting of the HSU national council overturned the nomination of a trustee of the scheme.

Junior doctors want to leave the HSU

30 November 2011 | Mark Skulley

PRINT: 30 November 2011 | PAGE 8 | Junior docs lose patience with HSU

The embattled Health Services Union faces a breakaway push from junior doctors in NSW, an example that could encourage other groups of workers to consider quitting.

HSU boss to fight no-confidence motion

14 November 2011 |

Updated | Kathy Jackson has vowed to remain as executive president of the Health Services Union even if a motion of no-confidence against her succeeds at the union’s annual convention.

AEC looks at funding

24 October 2011 | Mark Skulley

PRINT: 24 October 2011 | PAGE 5 | AEC looks at funding

The Australian Electoral Commission is weighting up whether disclosures on the finances of the Health Services Union’s East branch breached criminal laws.

HSU chief steps aside for council panel

22 September 2011 | Mark Skulley

PRINT: 23 September 2011 | PAGE 15 | HSU chief makes way for union panel

Embattled HSU leader Michael Williamson has stepped aside from his union positions, while vowing to clear his name over allegations of financial impropriety.

Health Services Union to quit Labor

16 September 2011 | Laura Tingle

PRINT: 17 September 2011 | PAGE 3 | Embattled HSU quits Labor

Updated | The controversy over the troubled HSU has deepened, with the union to disaffiliate from the ALP.

Union leaders boast of influence over ALP

01 September 2011 | Mathew Dunckley

PRINT: 01 September 2011 | PAGE 61 | Leaders boast of influence

Labor’s right wing unions have boasted about their power over the party’s ministers in leaked American diplomatic cables.

Anxious wait for Fair Work report on Thomson

29 August 2011 | Mark Skulley

PRINT: 29 August 2011 | PAGE 3 | Anxious wait for Fair Work report on Thomson

The Gillard government’s attempt to ride out the Craig Thomson controversy faces the hurdle of Fair Work Australia’s investigation over the next few months.

Thomson was subject of call to NSW attorney-general

27 August 2011 | Marcus Priest

PRINT: 27 August 2011 | PAGE 2 | Liberals dragged into Thomson scandal

A Liberal frontbencher contacted a second NSW government minister over the controversy around the alleged rorting of expenses by MP Craig Thomson.

Thomson affair escalates

26 August 2011 | David Crowe

PRINT: 26 August 2011 | PAGE 1 | Thomson affair escalates

The Gillard government has accused the Coalition of interfering in police deliberations about Labor backbencher Craig Thomson amid growing questions over the financial ­irregularities at the union he once led.

Union turns up heat on Thomson

25 August 2011 | David Crowe

PRINT: 25 August 2011 | PAGE 3 | Pressure mounts on Thomson

The former union of backbencher Craig Thomson said yesterday it would take concerns about his conduct to the NSW Police.

Rudd’s authority takes a leaking

10 December 2010 | Laura Tingle

PRINT: 10 December 2010 | PAGE 67 | Rudd’s authority takes a leaking

“You journalists in Canberra,” some people who are not press gallery fans have often been heard to complain, “you make it all up. All that stuff about leadership tensions. Why don’t you report the important things?”