FWA's Probe on HSU Puts Kathy Jackson on Defensive Mode
As the string of controversies rocking the national leadership of the beleaguered Health Services Union (HSU) migrated to the cyber world, national secretary Kathy Jackson maintained that she was a victim of 'dark forces' within the labour group.
Echoing the defence earlier mouthed by former Labor MP Craig Thomson, Ms Jackson stressed that what have been circulating, which alleged of serious misconducts and financial mismanagement while she headed the Victoria Health Professional branch of HSU, were nothing short of being false and malicious.
She told ABC in a prepared statement that accusations carried by media reports were concoctions of old business transactions and records, which purportedly were put together "to create an appearance of wrongdoing by me, and then embarked on a full-blown malicious smear campaign."
"There are proper explanations in relation to every matter alleged against me," said the troubled HSU chief, who was one of the leading voice within the labour group critical of Mr Thomson in the immediate aftermath of the Fair Work inquiry that pinned alleged misuse of funds to the now independent legislator.
But the tables have turned as Ms Jackson now finds herself warding off accusations that her tenure in Victoria was marred too by questionable spending and shady business dealings.
A Fair Work report showed that Ms Jackson had allowed her HSU branch to deal with a consulting firm, in which she concurrently served as board director.
The same report also pointed to almost the similar luxurious billings - expensive clothes, travel junkets and brothel services - that were previously attributed to Mr Thomson.
This time around the red hand was identified as Jeff Jackson, former head of HSU Victoria Number 1 and incidentally former husband to Ms Jackson.
And the allegations did not stop there as the FWA probe also indicated that Ms Jackson employed the services of Donald and Matthew Lawler, who turned as the sons of Michael Lawler.
The situation was further complicated as Mr Lawler currently serves in a ranking FWA position and is widely regarded as the new partner of Ms Jackson, creating impressions that a glaring conflict of interests could be brewing in FWA's ongoing probe on HSU officials alleged misconducts, specifically that of the national secretary.
Yet in a statement, Mr Lawler told ABC: "His Honour rejects any suggestion of misconduct or inappropriate conduct by himself."
As on the subject of his sons helping out on HSU, Ms Jackson defended the set-up by clarifying that "the engagement, and the connection with my partner, was disclosed to the (union's management committee) and the engagement approved."
"I considered that the branch was fortunate to have persons of their ability available to take that work," she added.
However, acting HSU chief Chris Brown was far from being sympathetic as he allowed that the documents have so far shown damning allegations, which should require more investigation from police authorities, he added.
"Further information is required, so therefore it would require an investigatory body that's got the power to actually get to the bottom of it and get the other documents that are required," Mr Brown was reported by the Australian Associated Press (AAP) as saying.
His calls were made following the recent ruling issued by the Federal Court, which ordered the splintering of the now infamous HSU East branch and placing it under administration.
The court would also want the same branch to be headed by new officials, media reports said.
Meanwhile, the war of personalities rages on the HSU's official Wikipedia pages, with insults and accusations posted on the site.