The completeness of the Victoria Police investigations into allegations of theft and fraud (reported to police by Health Services Union officials and others) is astonishing.
Detective Sergeant John Tyquin and his crew have literally left no stone, potential stone, paddock rock just below the blade of the plough 18 inches down, boulder, aggregate, gravelly bit or vague reports thereof unturned. Whether the potential evidence in the matter was damning or entirely exculpatory, alibi or proof for the offences the matters have been thoroughly investigated.
The Victoria Police Major Fraud and Extortion Group has some of the best investigators in the world and a number of them have been in Sydney gathering evidence and pursuing various investigations this week.
Once again, Steve Lewis proves that good journalism is more than reading press releases. I had prepared a commentary piece today about the unbreachable security and confidentiality cordons the Victoria Police detectives have around their investigations into Thomson and Gillard et al. I know that detectives have been in Sydney interviewing various people and as you've seen reported (based on statements from the Federal Court) executing search warrant(s). I was impressed with those detectives and their ability to do all of that without any leaks of their operational information.
Steve Lewis seems very well connected in his home town.
Hotel search warrants in Thomson case
Steve Lewis reports at www.news.com.au
here
POLICE have seized documents from an upmarket Sydney hotel and a union-affiliated credit union as they step up investigations into former Labor MP Craig Thomson.
Search warrants were executed on Tuesday at the Westin Hotel in Sydney's CBD, fraud squad detectives seizing "a number of documents" as part of Operation Vespine, which is investigating claims Mr Thomson used union credit cards to pay for prostitutes and other unauthorised goods.
Steve's report goes on to quote Dave Taylor of SGE Credit Union
Dave Taylor, the CEO of SGE Credit Union, said he was "astounded" that NSW police had disclosed information about the Thomson investigation.
Former HSU boss president Michael Williamson was chairman of the SGE Credit Union from 2003 until he resigned in mid-2012.
You can read more from Steve Lewis at www.dailytelegraph.com.au