The Labor Party is like the mafia in that once you are in you do not leave and if you do leave or blow the whistle they will destroy you. This was very evident with the treatment and reporting on Kathy Jackson at the Trade Union Royal Commission on Wednesday which I attended in my capacity as a journalist for this site.
The mainstream media over the last couple of months have focused heavily on Kathy Jackson and whether or not she ripped off the HSU while at the same time ignoring Bill Shorten and his current involvement with the HSU via some of his cronies who have history elsewhere for fraud and theft.
It is a legitimate story to investigate and report on Kathy Jackson and questions have to be asked as they were when she was in witness-box at the Royal Commission again today. In fact there are clearly some very serious questions to answer. But why is it that very few questions are being asked of Bill Shorten and his involvement in ripping off the HSU and harassing Kathy Jackson and her family?
Background
The government is having a Royal Commission into Trade Union corruption. The whistleblower Kathy Jackson was in the witness stand again today. Previously when she gave evidence she had been given fairly easy questioning but that changed today and tough questions were starting to be put to her. The hearing was stopped around midday when Kathy Jackson said she felt she had been ambushed and was not happy that she was not represented by a lawyer. The hearing was adjourned and Kathy Jackson will be back in the witness stand in a few weeks.
The Labor Party Mafia
The clear strategy of the Labor Party is to attack the messenger which in this case is Kathy Jackson for blowing the whistle on union / Labor Party corruption. I have reported on this before a number of times. (Click here and here and here to read more) If someone has evidence of criminal conduct then there is no issue about that being reported. But some of the attacks are quite disgusting and very personal and they come straight from Bill Shorten’s cronies as they have no shame.
I sat in the hearing room at the Royal Commission today up until the tea break then I went and sat in the media room. It only took a few minutes to know that there were two Labor /Union trolls in the media room pushing the Labor / union agenda and propaganda to the journalists.
A lot of journalists are under extreme pressure at the moment and a chance to get an easy story is too tempting for some. Then there are always one or two who are new to the RC and are easily misled. Just because the information is coming from Labor/unions does not necessarily mean it is false but plenty of it is as a lot of the trolls whether at the RC or online will still tell you that Craig Thomson is innocent or was hard done by. The point is when you read some of the mainstream media you can take it as fact that it is coming straight from Kathy Jackson’s enemies. Nothing new I suppose in that all politicians and their staffers feed the media stories in Canberra and every state parliament. But it is pathetic to see it happening at the Royal Commission.
I filmed the below interview with Kathy Jackson at the Royal Commission and as with my posts I always try to raise something others do not which I think I have done.
(Click anywhere on the above video to watch)
The story in The Australian
There was a story in The Australian today about Kathy Jackson which in the above video she refers to it a number of times. (Click here to read) The bottom line to the story is that Kathy Jackson knew a lady called Carron Gilleland who allegedly told Kathy Jackson about fraud that was happening at the HSU about 15 years ago and Kathy Jackson did nothing. Mrs Gilleland and her husband gave Michael Williamson and Craig Thomson American Express cards many years ago in a corrupt deal. Based on what Ms Jackson said in the video Bill Shorten is a friend of Carron Gilleland.
Kathy Jackson in the witness-box today
The big story facing Kathy Jackson is a slush fund called the National Health Development Account that she ran for about ten years which had a total of over $280,000 put through it. $250,000 of that came from the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and she gave $50,000 to her ex husband for a union battle. (Click here to read more) Where the rest went is still unknown and may never be known as the book that apparently documented the spending has been lost. The problem for Kathy Jackson is as soon as the public hear the words “slush fund” they immediately think fraud and stolen members money. Ms Jackson will be back in the stand in a few weeks so we will see what she says then and if that changes people’s minds. No matter what the outcome the Australian public should at least be grateful to Ms Jackson for blowing the whistle on the HSU corruption.
I wrote a post titled “Royal Commission into unions. There ain’t no heroes“ back in April and I stand by that. I must admit that Kathy Jackson’s dealings have never featured highly on this site’s radar. Why? Because I cannot write everything and also because Kathy will never be Prime Minister but Bill Shorten could be. Just remember that so let’s focus on who and what Bill Shorten is. I find it amazing that he can so openly use his cronies to harass Kathy Jackson and her family no matter what she has or hasn’t done. Just remember Bill wants to be Prime Minister and imagine what he would be like then.
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Categories: Bill Shorten, Royal Commission
Honestly Shane, is any of the Political Elite any different, as they all go into self preservation mode when they are either caught red handed or have some one blow the whistle from within. I frankly have lost all faith in both sides of the political landscape and neither believe a single word that comes out of their mouths or where there true loyalties lay. It sure as hell isn’t in the best interest of the Nation or any Aussie Battler that really needs the power of the Government to stand up for them, against some Goliath Bank, Union or Corporation when it really counts and is badly needed.
I agree Tony. Kathy Jackson was obviously targetted..but it does seem as though she also has skeletons. Unless the evidence was ‘planted’ then it does seem as though she also thought members money was there for her personal use…it seems most union officials think this.
I despair and am waiting to see what happens re the wikileaks into corruption between asian banks and australian banks. The government has apparently squashed all discussion on this. More skeletons?
To say I’m disgusted and revolted with all government and unions is putting it mildly.
Hi Susan, I actually live in the USA but I am born and raised as an Aussie, you can take the boy out of Australia, but you can’t take Australia out of the boy… 🙂
I was sent the report on the Reserve Bank Subsidiary this morning EST and the answer is YES there are more Skeletons in the closet to come out, with the Australian Banking Industry looking worse each and everyday.
Shane did a fantastic editorial on how just after the Senate Committee Hearing into the CBA and ASIC that Tony Abbott asked for the Federal Police Commissioners Resignation due to alleged corruption involving the AWB Saddam Hussein Bribery Royal Commission and as you look into that you see that the CBA was right in the middle of the transactions,
As Kathy Jackson admits herself, she is no Political Virgin and I am sure she also has more to hide, but she is I believe acting as States Evidence and you have to wonder why you would set up your own witness, as might have happened.
My biggest beef with these Royal Commissions that they are open to Political Interference and the use of the Main Stream Media as a Weapon by the Political Elite and there Corporate Masters, they should be run more like an American Grand Jury with the Powers to Indite and Arrest People on the spot, so the Political Elite and there Corporate Mates don’t have the change to do deals to pervert the course of Justice.
Shane,
Fantastic, that you are following this case.
I agree with you, that Kathy did call for a royal commission and this current government has commissioned this, so at least they had the guts to accept the consequences.
You had good questions, I seem to remember many years ago that there was a story going around, that Shorten and Conroy were after Kathy then.
I do not agree with Kathy, that the Peter Mac-money was to be used for the benefit of the union-officials. That seems to be the case though.
And because the unions itself have no controls over the spending, everything seems to be allright.
So probably according to Union rules, Kathy has done nothing wrong.
These Union-people are much better paid that anyone I know of and any expenses are easily paid, money extra for attending meetings, cars from the Union, they feel that they are entitled to all of that.
If private companies had those conditions, they would not last very long.
Kathy did dob in Williamson and Thomson. but I would love to know, where the 19Million went, which could not be found during Williamson’s court-case,
And what is happening with the 1.8M superannuation for him and his wife?
Is Bill Shorten going to make sure, these monies are being paid back to the members?
Hi Shane,
I would be interested in attending the RC hearing in Brisbane myself. Where and when is it being held Shane?? Perhaps I will see you there.
I am so sick of the MSM treating Shorten like some sort of Messiah who is there to save Australia from the “Big Bad Abbott”. Surely the journalists are not that stupid as to not see that he (Shorten) is involved in every aspect of Union corruption/fraud (HSU and the cover up of Gillard and Wilson’s fraud) no matter what some Labor/Union troll wants to whisper in their ear. But then the bulk of journos today are only good at cutting and pasting someone else’s story, incapable of investigating anything for themselves.
Kathy Jackson appears to be an intelligent woman who admits she is no clean skin but she is the one who brought the HSU fraud to everyone’s attention yet she is being treated more like a criminal than those who are most involved/guilty. Something does not sound right for her to be attacked and ambushed at the hearing. Begs the question of who has/is influencing those who are supposed to be getting to the bottom of the mess.
I recently emailed a high profile journalist (No Fear No Favour) to ask why there has been no mention either in his blogs or Sunday morning TV show about Shorten’s involvement and being questioned by Victorian police regarding the rape of a then 16 yr. old girl. My question was moderated (read deleted) from the blog and no mention anywhere and no reply.
What are they (MSM) so scared of?? Reporting the Truth?? As you said this man (Shorten) wants to be the Prime Minister of our great nation…It is a scary thought that he is not being held to account for his involvement in the cover up of fraud, theft, corruption and rape, and has his cronies/heavies do his dirty work in intimidating those who know the truth and willing to expose him yet Tony Abbott is all over the front pages and radio talkback for winking at the radio jock??
Are there so many apathetic Aussie voters that cannot see or find out for themselves what is happening? Even this lifetime (now ex) Labor voter has been enlightened by doing a bit of research and reading. Apathy, the death of Democracy and the open door to fraud and corruption!
Please let me know about the Brisbane RC hearings.
Suse
Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption will sit in Brisbane – Monday, 4 August to Thursday, 7 August 2014 between 10.00am and 4.00pm daily in a room provided by the Brisbane Magistrates Court, 363 George Street. For more information: http://kangaroocourtofaustralia.com/trade-union-royal-commission/
It seems that Kathy Jackson believed that being a whistleblower somehow exempted her from scrutiny. I think there have been a lot of questions surrounding Jackson’s own integrity in union dealings over the years but the focus has always been on the targets of her whistle blowing Williamson and Thompson – both proven to be corrupt.This shouldn’t however provide Jackson from being investigated. The allegations are that she misused members benefits (possibly up to $300,000) and doesn’t remember what happened to the money and conveniently “lost” the books that made account the money. It all sounds pretty dodgy. I agree Shorten and any others should also be scrutinised through this royal commission but lets not excuse the alleged actions of people like Jackson as if they are of lesser importance. Shane we should take the politics out of this and let the Royal Commission do its job.
Who said whistleblowers need to be pure white angels? Whistleblowers come in all shapes and forms. I commend Kathy Jackson and time will tell about her allegations against her. I know personally been a whistleblower the mud is thrown at you constantly until something sticks true or not. Why is Shorten so protected? He has rape allegations and covering up Union and Labors crime and gets No coverage by the Msm. The shows not over until the fat lady sings!
I agree Shane that we should be thankful to Kathy Jackson for exposing/blowing the whistle on HSU corruption. Her life has been a living hell over the last few years, and Bill Shorten has been personally responsible for Ms Jackson’s living hell. Shorten and his fellow grubs have ruined people like Jackson, Marco Bolano & others, and as a result have taken control of the HSU and have controlled, stolen, trashed the HSU. Yes, Kathy Jackson has serious questions to answer in the Royal Commission, but if she is to be found to have acted corruptly in anything, it will probably be very little. Probably the money sent to her ex-husband could get her in the most trouble. But the real enemy of all this is Bill Shorten & the Labor party. The Labor party is definitely the political mafia of Australia, where they allow criminal conduct in either political or union matters. The Royal Commission into unions may not be enough, there must also be a Royal Commission into the Labor party. Unions & the Labor party are hand in hand in corruption. Shorten must never ever be the prime minister at all costs.
Good on you Shane. Am appalled at the Labour/Union mafia’s efforts to destroy KJ with selective leaks and background briefings. She has said from day 1 that she was no saint but the media is carrying as though she has been unmasked as a deceitful charlatan. The nation remains in debt for her bravery. The RC is an existential threat to the LU mafia and all sections are fighting back including their mates in the media and law. To them KJ is a traitor but Williamson and Thomson are fallen heroes who did not rat on their mates. Williamson still runs things from prison. It is important to look at the TURC documents and read transcripts to get the full picture. Some of the press stories provide an anti-KJ spin on matters already known and documents already reviewed by VICPOL. I was surprised KJ was not fully prepared to answer questions about payments from the Peter Mac funds. There is good evidence that KJ’s explanation of the Peter Mac fund is correct and the branch committee authorized its use for various HSU activities. I would be using the next few weeks to prepare a submission fully explaining all payments. She needs to get her story out before the mafia spin becomes perceived wisdom. Of course it is all a distraction from the main game. Everybody who tries to uncover the LU sores is slimed and vilified but a sitting PM and employment minister who both conspired to pervert the course of justice are treated with kid-gloves. How does Shorten get away with it? Mr Smooth is a nasty piece of work. Talk about misogyny. A mendacious, serial adulterer, who leers at Kate Ellis in parliament, abuses taxi drivers and berates Asian women in pie shops. Don’t forget he knifed 2 PMs. God help us if the ALP wins Vic in November.
shane how about following the asmer kitching trail
I have written about it a reasonable amount. Have a look at some of the older posts.