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The Australian: On the affairs of Craig Thomson, Peter Slipper the arbiter of right and wrong

The Australian is reporting: “PETER Slipper, who has stepped out of the Speaker’s chair while sexual harassment and Cabcharge rorting allegations against him are resolved, would still decide whether Craig Thomson should face a parliamentary privileges committee investigation into his declaration that the Labor Party paid his legal fees in the Health Services Union scandal.”

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SMH: Absence of competition breeds unions’ contempt for members

Executive Director of The Sydney Institute, Gerard Henderson, writes in today’s Sydney Morning Herald, “Perhaps, in modern parlance, it seemed like a good idea at the time. However, the insistence of the independent MPs Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor that Craig Thomson deliver a statement to the House of Representatives next week could turn out to be counterproductive.”

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The Australian: House awaits explanation

The Australian is reporting: “LAST Wednesday as the Coalition fought to force MP Craig Thomson to explain to the house the matters relating to him in Fair Work Australia’s findings on the Health Services Union, the embattled member for Dobell got to his feet.

“”I would like to indicate to parliament that I will be seeking to make a statement, probably in excess of 10 minutes and closer to 15 minutes, on the next occasion parliament sits,” Thomson said.”

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The Sunday Age: An incredible tale

The Sunday Age’s National Political Editor, Misha Schubert, writes: “IT’S an elaborate plot, this one that exiled Labor MP Craig Thomson implicitly asks us to believe has been hatched against him. Either that, or it’s an incredibly long list of misunderstandings about his impeccable conduct at the helm of the union representing hospital cleaners, right before he scored a seat in Parliament.”

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The Australian: ‘I was set up’, claims Craig Thomson

The Australian is reporting: “POLITICAL enemies on numerous occasions set up Craig Thomson with fabricated records suggesting he engaged prostitutes, including making telephone calls from his mobile phone to escort agencies pretending to be him, using his drivers licence for authentication, and obtaining his two union credit cards to pay for the services, the Labor turned independent MP claims.”

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SMH: Stick for union bad boys

The Sydney Morning Herald is reporting: “THE government has rushed out planned measures to crack down on rorting in unions and toughen the investigative capacity of Fair Work Australia, as it tries to limit the fallout from the highly damaging report into the conduct of the Health Services Union.”

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SMH: Pressure grows on PM to disown Thomson’s vote

The Sydney Morning Herald is reporting: “PRESSURE on the Gillard government to no longer accept Craig Thomson’s vote has intensified after Fair Work Australia found the former Labor MP spent hundreds of thousands of dollars of union money on hospitality and election expenses and lied to investigators when quizzed about using his credit card on prostitutes.”

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The Age: Need for speed on union reforms

The Age’s Michelle Grattan writes: “DO OTHER people feel that seeing one more interview with anyone associated with the Health Services Union might be enough to invite an attack on the television set? The byzantine politics and rorting in this extraordinary outfit are beyond ordinary comprehension, and nothing comes to a conclusion.”

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SMH: Police given report on MP

The Sydney Morning Herald is reporting: “EMBATTLED MP Craig Thomson has come under fresh pressure, with Director of Public Prosecutions Chris Craigie referring the Fair Work Australia report on the Health Services Union that deals with him to Victorian and NSW police.”

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SMH: Premier joins push for HSU administrator

The Sydney Morning Herald is reporting: “THE Premier, Barry O’Farrell, says his government will seek to pass urgent legislation to ensure an administrator can be appointed to the NSW arm of the Health Services Union after doubts were raised about the Federal Court’s jurisdiction to make orders relating to a state union.”

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The Australian: Fallout from Thomson affair will spread through union movement

Judith Sloan writes in today’s Australian: NINE times out of 10, the cover-up is worse than the disclosure.

The fact that the government has been attempting to prevent, or at least delay, the release of a number of reports on the conduct of various officials of the Health Services Union, both past and present, suggests the contents of these reports are incredibly damaging.

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SMH: Sex workers to be questioned about payments

The Sydney Morning Herald is reporting: “MEMBERS of Victoria Police’s fraud and extortion squad are expected to visit brothels and escort agencies in Sydney this week to interview sex workers about whether the former Labor MP Craig Thomson used union funds to pay for their services while he was national secretary of the Health Services Union.”

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SMH: Why is Thomson stalling in rush to clear his name?

Kate McClymont writes in today’s Sydney Morning Herald: “I will make a comprehensive statement in the near future,” promised Craig Thomson in September last year.

Ever since the allegations that he misused union funds were first raised almost four years ago, the embattled federal MP has been promising an explanation, and offering to aid authorities at every opportunity in order to clear his name.

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