Paul Howes is focussing on his job at the AWU - by working out ways to pay less to pensioners
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop's staff contacted me late today - the AusAid political party donation scheme has been cancelled!

What did Slater and Gordon share-owners get for their $400,000 in "other receipts" issued by Labor and the unions

The period 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2013 includes these significant events for Slater and Gordon.

3 August 2012 - The Australian publishes interviews with Ralph Blewitt - he will confess to police about the Gillard/Wilson frauds

14 August 2012 - Slater and Gordon MD Andrew Grech writes to Ralph Blewitt asking him to waive legal privilege so Slater and Gordon can "speak freely in response" to "false allegations against the firm and its former partners".

14 August 2012 - former MD Peter Gordon in correspondence with current MD Andrew Grech regarding a public statement about Prime Minister Gillard.

Around mid August 2012 - Slater and Gordon MD Andrew Grech contacts AWU National Secretary Paul Howes asking that the AWU waive privilege over files it held.   Howes says Slater and Gordon was acting unethically.   Two months later Slater and Gordon realised it had lost the files anyway.  Go figure.

Saturday, 18 August 2012 - The Australian publishes redacted record of interview between Gillard, Peter Gordon and Geoff Shaw - "Gillard lost her job after law firm's secret investigation".

Sunday, 19 August 2012 - Gillard interviewed by Paul Kelly with Peter Van Onselen on Sky TV.

Sunday, 19 August 2012 - Slater and Gordon - on a Sunday - issued a press statement in support of Gillard after her Paul Kelly roasting on Sky TV.

22 August 2012 - former partner Nick Styant Browne releases statement - Slater and Gordon's public statement is "stunningly incomplete"

The list goes on and on - up to an including the police raid on Slater and Gordon on 17 May 2013.  

Police said at the time that the issue of client legal professional privilege was expected to take 2 weeks to resolve.   Slater and Gordon ultimately applied to the Supreme Court to claim client legal privilege over 8 documents - delays in the Supreme Court meant the application was not listed until 26 August 2012.   Then the Wilson claim of client privilege commenced - it is still yet to be resolved.   All from a raid in May when Gillard was sitting PM.   Nice delays if you want to see the police slowed down.

So - beyond issuing statements in support of Gillard's interests, asking various former clients to waive privilege so it could speak freely in support of "former partners", going to the Supreme Court in lengthy legal battles that chewed up a lot of time  - and putting out statements on a Sunday when the ASX wasn't open; how else did Slater and Gordon help its share-owners during FY 2012/13?

Well according to the AEC, Slater and Gordon put out to the tune of $401,112 to the Labor Party and associated entities in FY 2012/13.  This is not payments from Labor etc for work done by Slaters, this money relates to payments recorded as "other receipts" in Labor and union books from Slater and Gordon.

Slater and gordon aec 2012 and 13

More than $100K is listed as going directly to the Labor Party.  

Here is Labor's AEC return.

The relevant Slater and Gordon bits are declared here.

Slater and gordon donations to labor

If I was a shareholder, I would like to know why my money went in that direction and what value was created for the listed ASX entity.

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