This Friday Justice Tracey will make directions in the case against Kathy Jackson - who knows what's in store but worth putting on the calendar.

I don't know if there's been any move by Jackson's legal team to have the proceedings using the Federal Court's Rule to show cause - Federal Court of Australia provisions - but if so we may get some insight this Friday.   Otherwise the matter is planned to go to a full hearing commencing 29 June.

On 23 April this year Commissioner Heydon opened the Commission's 2015 proceedings, including this comment about his plans:

The Commission has shown a much greater interest in Labor Party/Trade Union links this year.   In the matters relating to Williamson, Thomson and Kathy Jackson those links are fundamental elements of the story, a "story" that turns on the events of 24 August, 2011, the day Kathy Jackson became persona non grata with the Labor Party and union movement.

On 25 August 2011 I broadcast on this editorial on 2UE 

Part two here includes comments from then PM Gillard 

On the morning of 24 August 2011 the Sydney Morning Herald published this story written by the well connected (with the Labor Party) Philip Coorey.   Here's an important excerpt, recall this was published in the paper on the morning of the planned HSU National Executive meeting - before we visited Williamson's home and before Kathy Jackson announced Thomson would be referred to police:

It is understood the decision may rest on whether the Health Services Union, of which Mr Thomson was the secretary when the alleged credit card misuse took place, is willing to assist police and provide the documents that would either implicate or exonerate Mr Thomson.

One issue detectives will consider is whether Mr Thomson is legally deemed to have acted ''dishonestly'' in his use of the union's funds.

Sources said it was highly unlikely the union would pursue charges.

The Health Services Union Secretary, Michael Williamson, and executive president, Kathy Jackson, both declined requests from the Herald yesterday to comment.

Philip's sources were Labor Party/Williamson allies within the HSU and he accurately reported what they said and what they believed - that Thomson would not be referred to police.   What Philip and the Labor Party sources didn't know was that I'd been briefed the night before (23 August 2011) about Williamson's intention to keep the Thomson matter in-house, I was shown the draft public statement to that effect (drafted by Slater and Gordon) - I saw the plans for the HSU National Executive to follow Williamson's lead and act to keep Thomson's crimes away from the gaze of the police.  

As a result of what I found out that night, our 2UE reporter and a camera crew visited Williamson's house, got him on the record and made the otherwise unreported and secret HSU meeting very, very public.   Williamson dropped his bundle, didn't attend the meeting and a very brave and conscientious Kathy Jackson was able to reverse the plan to protect Thomson - and she reported him to the police that day.

As the Royal Commission finalises its inquiries about Thomson/Williamson/Jackson I hope it starts with the events of 24 August and the days leading up to them.   Why did Williamson do so much to protect Thomson?   What influence did the parliamentary party bring to bear to keep Thomson protected from criminal charges?   Why did Williamson communicate to the parliamentary Labor party that "we're safe as houses"?   What was Graham Richardson's role in negotiating the payout to Fairfax of its costs in Thomson's defamation proceedings?   Why did the Labor Party spend so much of its money to finance Thomson's legal costs - when Thomson was accused of stealing from HSU members?   What business was it of the Labor Party in fighting against the interests of HSU members?

Kathy Jackson's public troubles started from the date she reported Thomson to police.   Any inquiry that does not inquire into and report on the events around 24 August 2011 would - in my respectful view - be incomplete.

I'll leave you with the mayhem of 24 August 2011 in the Parliament as Gillard went ballistic - here's the ABC's PM program from that afternoon.

MARK COLVIN: In what may prove a turning point in the case of the Federal Labor MP Craig Thomson, the union he used to head has called in the cops.

The executive of the Health Services Union today unanimously decided to refer allegations against Mr Thomson to the New South Wales Police.

The union says it made the decision in light of new material in recent weeks and of yesterday's decision by police to assess whether there should be a formal investigation.

The national secretary of the union Kathy Jackson says that in making the decision, the union put the interests of its members first, ahead of the Labor Party.

The decision pre-empted a spiteful debate in Parliament, with the Opposition Leader attempting to suspend standing orders to force the Prime Minister to make a statement about Mr Thomson.

The vote was lost as the Opposition didn't have the numbers and Julia Gillard responded by cutting short Question Time.

Chief political correspondent Sabra Lane.

SABRA LANE: The temperature in Parliament is almost at boiling point. 

TONY ABBOTT: Until this Prime Minister and this Government can put this grubby business behind it this Government will not be able to address any other issues. 

HARRY JENKINS: Order.

ANTHONY ALBANESE: Not interested whatsoever. Just interested in slurs...

HARRY JENKINS: Order.

ANTHONY ALBANESE: ...slurs and digging dirt against members of Parliament.

SABRA LANE: First thing this morning, the Opposition failed in an attempt to force Craig Thomson to give a personal explanation to Parliament about the credit card allegations.

It also denied the Government pairing arrangements, meaning that the Opposition's Malcolm Turnbull and the Arts Minister Simon Crean missed attending the memorial service for painter Margaret Olley. 

Mr Crean was livid. He says Mr Turnbull was peeved too.

SIMON CREAN: And he too is very upset. I'm furious. He was a good friend of Margaret's. He was her local member. I mean, what sort of madness is this? And Tony Abbott denying pairs for a stunt in the Parliament that he cannot win so what is the point?

SABRA LANE: Mr Thomson's under investigation over allegations that a credit card issued in his name was used to pay prostitutes while he was the Health Services Union national secretary.

The MPs denied the claims, saying that someone forged his signature. He won't say who.

Last week Mr Thomson updated the members' register of interests to disclose the NSW Labor Party paid his legal fees for a defamation case he started then dropped against Fairfax. It's claimed the payments were made to stop him from being declared bankrupt. 

Fair Work Australia's been investigating the case for two years and earlier this week the Opposition wrote to NSW Police to ask it to examine the case.

Police say they're assessing the material to see if it warrants a formal investigation and it seems that prompted the Health Services Union to make today's decision.

Its national secretary, Kathy Jackson:

KATHY JACKSON: Although we continue to believe that Fair Work Australia is an appropriate investigative body, in these circumstances and based on the new material that has come to light in recent weeks and to remove any suggested impediment to the investigation of the NSW Police, the national executive has today resolved to refer the matter to the NSW Police and cooperate with any subsequent investigation.

SABRA LANE: Given the Government's tenuous hold on power, Ms Jackson was asked if the executive was conscious its decision could further destabilise Mr Thomson, and Labor.

KATHY JACKSON: Our first priority is the members of the Health Services Union, not to members of the Australian Labor Party.

REPORTER: Even though this might mean Tony Abbott sitting in the Lodge in a, you know, short period of time?

KATHY JACKSON: That's a matter for the Labor Party.

SABRA LANE: Predictably Craig Thomson was the focus of the first and only question in Question Time.

TONY ABBOTT: In light of the Member for Dobell's resignation as chairman of the House Economics Committee due to a NSW Police investigation, I ask the Prime Minister does the Member still have her complete confidence?

JULIA GILLARD: I've made many statements about that in this House and I stand by every one of them.

SABRA LANE: After that, the Opposition Leader Tony Abbott sought to suspend standing orders.

TONY ABBOTT: It is with considerable reluctance that I move this suspension of standing orders motion...

(jeering, laughter)

HARRY JENKINS: Order.

TONY ABBOTT: ... standing orders motion.

SABRA LANE: He wanted to force the Prime Minister to make a statement about Mr Thomson's case.

TONY ABBOTT: We have a Prime Minister in hiding on this issue. We have a Member in protection and we have a Government in paralysis. People with a reasonable explanation have nothing to fear from the facts.

SABRA LANE: Mr Thomson sat in the chamber expressionless and glassy eyed. The Opposition's manager of business, Christopher Pyne.

CHRISTOPHER PYNE: The Prime Minister has spent the last week obfuscating in this House and stone-walling in this House, because we know she will do anything to avoid having to go to the people from losing the Member for Dobell.

SABRA LANE: The Government's Leader of the House, Anthony Albanese.

ANTHONY ALBANESE: What hypocrites we see from those opposite. There is no process, there is no convention, there is no tradition, there is no norm that this Leader of the Opposition will not trash. This man...

(cry of "or wreck, or wreck")

...is not a conservative. He is a reactionary who's determined, who's been determined from day one with what is the longest dummy spit in Australian political history, to trash the Parliament, to trash the institutions and to drag everything down.

SABRA LANE: Andrew Wilkie, Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott sided with the Government.

HARRY JENKINS: Order. The result of the division is ayes 71, noes 73, the question is therefore negative.

SABRA LANE: And with that, the Prime Minister pulled the plug on Question Time.

JULIA GILLARD: Could I ask that further questions be placed on the notice paper.

(interjections)

HARRY JENKINS: Order.

SABRA LANE: The Nationals Leader Warren Truss.

WARREN TRUSS: Closing down Question Time, have we ever seen anything like it?

(cries of "no")

But have we ever seen a government anything like this one? It's a disgrace to the Australian people. It's a disgrace to the democracy of our land.

UPDATE FROM THE EGG ON FACE FOR BREAKFAST DEPARTMENT This is from the guy who put the subtitles onto the MEMRI original clip - with the Obama bit edited in. The absence of Arabic subtitles to the Obama element should have given the game away!

Note the 2007 timing!   Here's the link to Mark Coultan's story published in The Australian today.

Builder BMD paid same for services as AWU union dues

Construction group BMD gave the AWU Victorian branch $18,900 that it could have awarded to its employees, counsel assist­ing the commission Jeremy Stoljar SC said.

The commission is investig­ating whether the union received lists of employees and payments from companies to artificially inflate its membership numbers and thereby gain a bigger say in the ALP.

In 2007, the union’s Victorian branch entered into an industrial agreement with BDM, in a separate agreement from the one it used in the rest of the country.

It then sent the company, which advertises itself as one of Australia’s largest privately-owned building companies, an invoice for $14,300 for “OH&S inspection at various work sites in Victoria”.

Shortly afterwards, 44 BMD employees were listed as union members. They included David Brick, who has told the commission he had never been an union member. In 2010, when the agreement was renewed, the union sent an invoice for “OHS training” for $19,800.

Mr Stoljar said this was exactly the amount of the AWU adult membership fees of $450 multiplied by the number of employees at BMD. The union had been unable to produce any evidence of OHS training.

"The National Secretary acts as the Chief Executive of the AWU with the Branch Secretaries acting as the General Managers of each Branch.

They appoint staff, manage the finances of the union and ensure the union continues to stand up for AWU members by putting our members first."

Here's Bill's announcement about the day he stopped being Chief Executive responsible for the activities of the AWU - link to the archive is here.   Up until 26 November 2007 it's Bill's baby.

Bill Shorten farewells AWU members

Monday, 26 November 2007

Bill Shorten - one of the AWU's greatest leaders - has sent a message to our union's 130,000 members, thanking them for the extraordinary support and opportunities he has had over last 14 years in what he describes as as challenging and memorable chapter of his working life.

Bill Shorten, former AWU National Secretary

To all members of the Australian Workers' Union.

On Monday I formally resigned as National Secretary of the Australian Workers' Union, ending what has been the most enjoyable, challenging and memorable chapter of my working life thus far.

The Australian Workers' Union has been my life for the last fourteen years - a life made better by meeting so many of you. Working with and for our members has been a privilege.

I am honoured to have been elected to Parliament, and honoured to be able to be part of a Rudd Labor Government. I assure you that I will be taking the lessons I have learned from you with me and will always stand up for the rights of ordinary Australians to live decent, happy lives. 

The 1990s, when I joined the AWU, was a period of division and turmoil within our Union. I am proud that, under my leadership, the bitter infighting ceased and unity was restored. With unity came strength, and I was able to guide the AWU to a strong financial and membership position. 

The health of our finances enabled me to recruit new and talented officials, and together we have won major conditions and wages improvements for our members. At the same time, we encouraged greater training for our delegates, and I believe this has played a big role in creating safer and fairer workplaces.

For the last eleven years, we have faced the antagonistic and hostile Howard Government, and I am very proud that our great union maintained the discipline, momentum and desire which finally saw John Howard and his government soundly defeated.

These achievements would not have been possible without the support and encouragement of our legendary President, Bill Ludwig and all the Branch Secretaries. I would like to single out for thanks Cesar Melhem and the Victorian Branch for their loyalty and backing over the years.

Paul Howes has now been elected National Secretary, and he has my full support as he takes the AWU forward into a new era. I know the union is in safe hands.

Finally, I hope you are as proud of our great union as I am and always will be. Throughout our 121 year history, we have struggled and overcome obstacles that have destroyed weaker unions. Droughts, amalgamations, wars and draconian governments - the AWU has seen them all off, and that is due to the loyalty and strength of character of you, our members.

 

Contact Details
The Australian Workers' Union
Ph:  (02) 9264 5911
Fax: (02) 9264 5017
[email protected] 

And here's the announcement of Bill's replacement, Paul Howes - archived here.

New national AWU leader calls for co-operative renewal of Australian "fair go "

27 November 2007

Australia's oldest and biggest blue-collar union has voted for generational change with Paul Howes, 26, elected as National Secretary after his predecessor, Bill Shorten, was elected on the weekend as part of the Rudd Labor Government. 

Paul Howes

" We want to build co-operative relationships with all sections of Australian society; a co-operative relationship to rebuild our fair-go traditions, traditions at the core of the 121 year old AWU's very history," Paul Howes said after being elected to lead the Australian Workers Union (AWU).

" I can assure you that the AWU, under my leadership, will work hard to build co-operative relationships with Rudd Labor and the business community.

What ABC radio told listeners about Paul Howes

New AWU secretary in manufacturing call

Heads up biggest union with deep roots in Australian history and culture

Paul Howes - who has worked for more than a decade in the union movement - said today it was an extraordinary honour to lead the 135,000 member AWU, a union with deep roots in Australia's soil, its history and culture.

Mr Howes told the AWU national executive that union members can rejoice at the result of the weekend election.

" The election result underlines the Australian national view that an era of divisiveness must now come to an end. The real views and interests of Australian working people and their unions should never again be swept aside and ignored by governments and business," Paul Howes said.

" The Federal election was a victory for the thousands of working people who campaigned for workplace decency, and against divisiveness.

Listen to all voices and govern for all Australians

" They want government in Canberra to balance their views alongside those of the business community, and other voices in our democratic civic society

" We agree with Kevin Rudd that he should govern for all Australians - not just one section of Australia. This is a view we will take to the ACTU Executive when it meets next week."

AWU indebted to Bill Shorten

Mr Howes thanked his predecessor Bill Shorten who played a remarkable role in reviving the fortunes of the AWU during his term as National Secretary...giving AWU members a national voice during the Beaconsfield mine crisis.

" Bill Shorten will forever be remembered in our proud history as a union leader who returned our union to the centre stage of Australian life. He revived our union's fortunes, and helped it to grow in a tough era. The AWU is indebted to Bill Shorten.

" I am sure Bill will be an important voice in Canberra for all Australian working people. Our union looks forward to working closely with him, and the many other Labor MPs who are proud to be associated with the AWU tradition," Paul Howes said.

Focus on rights of working people gives opportunity to build better Australian workplaces

" While we rejoice this week the AWU cannot afford to rest now the Rudd Labor government has been elected," Paul Howes told his national executive.

" There has never been a period in our recent history where the focus has been so firmly on the rights of Australian working people. The election spotlight was definitely on this one core issue - the right to decency in the workplace. 

" This victory shows Australians expect governments - of all political hues - to respect the role of unions and their members in the workplace," Paul Howes said.

" The AWU now has an opportunity to build action campaigns which show the Australian people how, together, we can build a better society by, most importantly, involving more of our members in our workplace and community activity,' the new AWU National Secretary said.

Contact Details
The Australian Workers' Union
Ph:  (02) 9264 5911
Fax: (02) 9264 5017
[email protected] 

Finally here is the AWU's own description of the roles and responsibilities of its officers and its internal management structure - this is taken from an archived copy of the AWU's website here

http://web.archive.org/web/20071212163710/http://www.awu.net.au/national/about/structure.html

Structure

The Australian Workers' Union is a democratic organisation with rules that are registered with the australian Industrial Relations Commission.

The AWU is made up of over 135,000 working Australians who elect the officials of the AWU.

All members of the AWU are part of the 12 geographic and industry based Branches which make constitute the AWU.

Every four years AWU members elect the officials of the Branches and the officials of the AWU Nationally - this includes the Branch Secretary, the Branch President, the Branch Assistant Secretary, Organisers and other positions.

The same happens nationally with all 135,000 members electing the National Secretary, National Assistant Secretary and National President every four years.

Also elected at the same time is the National Executive and the Branch Executives which act as the Board of Directors for the union.

All of the actions of the AWU's elected officials are guided by the Rules of the AWU which are registered under the Workplace Relations Act in the Australian Industrial Relations Commission.

The National Secretary acts as the Chief Executive of the AWU with the Branch Secretaries acting as the General Managers of each Branch.

They appoint staff, manage the finances of the union and ensure the union continues to stand up for AWU members by putting our members first.

The AWU is affiliated with the Australian Council of Trade Unions, the International Metalworkers Federation, the International Union of Foodworkers and the International Transport Workers Federation.

The AWU is affiliated to the Australian Labor Party and many branches of the AWU are affiliated with their state Trades & Labor Council.

ENDS

Here's the happy 2007 family.

You might recall Obama's intemperate, exaggerated and ungracious remarks about Australia's Great Barrier Reef during his speech to fawning students at the University of Queensland during last year's G20 gathering - here's part of The Age's Obama-promotional material:

G20 summit: Barack Obama puts climate change at fore in speech at University of Queensland

US President Barack Obama has placed climate change at the forefront of the G20 summit in Brisbane, announcing a $US3 billion contribution to the Green Climate Fund, and calling on young Australians to pressure politicians to resist vested interests and tackle global warming.

In a wide-ranging speech he also declared the United States would never abandon its leadership in the Asia-Pacific and called on countries to tackle Ebola rather than build moats around their island nations.

Australia resisted US pressure to place climate change on the official G20 agenda. However, it will be raised in the discussion on energy.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott raised his government's repeal of Labor's carbon tax in a speech to a gathering of world leaders, which included President Obama, earlier on Saturday.

A few hours later, Mr Obama was applauded every time he mentioned climate change in his speech at the University of Queensland. He warned that no region in the globe had more at stake than the Asia-Pacific and said climate change meant more bushfires, flooding, extreme storms and rising seas in Australia.

"The incredible natural glory of the Great Barrier Reef is threatened," Mr Obama warned.

The President said he wanted to return to Australia to visit the reef with his daughters when he had more time. "And I want them to be able to bring their daughters or sons to visit and I want that there 50 years from now," he said to applause.

As foreshadowed, he pledged $US3 billion to the Green Climate Fund to help developing nations adapt to cleaner-fuelled economies.

"Let them leap frog some of the dirty industries that powered our development, go straight to a clean-energy economy that allows them to grow, create jobs and at the same time reduce their carbon pollution," he said.

And he directly pleaded with Australia's youth to "keep raising their voices" and challenge "entrenched interests".

"It is in the nature of the world that those of us who start getting grey hair are a little set in our ways. That interests are entrenched.  Not because people are bad people, it's just that's how we've been doing things and we make investments and companies start depending on certain energy sources and change is uncomfortable and difficult," he said.

"And that's why it's so important for the next generation to step in and say 'it doesn't have to be this way'," he said.

Julie Bishop, to her eternal credit, took the fight right up to Obama at the UN in New York, despite the best efforts of the ABC to pour scorn on the Abbott Government's efforts to correct Obama's misinformation about the Great Barrier Reef

http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2015/05/how-the-abc-spins-a-story-about-the-government-promoting-australia.html

Well today the jury's verdict came in - "the incredible glory of the Great Barrier Reef" is not in danger and our work in managing the Reef has been validated by UNESCO.

UNESCO rejects “in danger” listing & praises Australia’s work to protect Great Barrier Reef http://t.co/gldG44cthM pic.twitter.com/8hamiVHn9I

— Greg Hunt (@GregHuntMP) May 29, 2015

Here's the joint Labor/LNP media release:

Thanks for nothing Barack - stick to stuff you know about old mate and leave us to look after our own stuff - we're doing just fine without your "help".

From this graphic you can see how #Blatter would have no clue about alleged corruption at #FIFA - via @McKenzieCNN pic.twitter.com/WmQpDjTVSd

— Kay Burley (@KayBurley) May 29, 2015