Michael Williamson jailed over 'parasitic plundering' of Health Services Union funds
By court reporter Jamelle Wells
Updated 2 minutes ago

Former HSU national president Michael Williamson
PHOTO: Prosecutors said Michael Williamson's motivation for defrauding the HSU was greed. (AAP: Dean Lewins)
RELATED STORY: Williamson apologises as union claims back fundsRELATED STORY: Former HSU boss Williamson admits fraud offences
MAP: Sydney 2000
Former Health Services Union boss Michael Williamson has been sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in jail for fraud.

The New South Wales District Court was packed as sentencing Judge David Frearson described Williamson as "brazen and arrogant".

The judge said Williamson was in a position of power when he defrauded the union of nearly $1 million.

Judge Frearson described Williamson's "parasitic plundering of union funds for pure greed".

Williamson showed no emotion as he discovered his fate and sat staring at the judge until he was led away.

The 60-year-old will be eligible for parole after serving five years in prison.

Williamson had been facing a possible 20 years in jail after pleading guilty to four charges including fraud and recruiting others to hinder a police investigation.

Prosecutors say Williamson, who was already on a salary of about $500,000, was motivated by greed.

The court has been told the former Australian Labor Party president submitted false invoices to the union from a company in his wife's name.

Williamson's lawyers say he has apologised and taken full responsibility for his actions, noting he has also suffered depression since his behaviour was exposed.

More to come. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Williamson gets 7.5 years, Thompson gets 3 months.
Some justice system.

At least we have the pleasure in seeing an ALP President paraded for what he was.

Well this crook has got a pretty serious sentence, so we can applaud that.
Labor has had too many crooks, imagine how few supporters Labor would still have, if the Libs were not such utter baskets.

Thomson    )
                 ) common denominator = Labor
Williamson  )

I wouldnt mind doing 10 years and walking out never having to work again because of the money he has stolen to give his family. Thats not punishment. Its a win win end game

bogarde73 wrote on Mar 28^th, 2014 at 11:02am:

Williamson gets 7.5 years, Thompson gets 3 months. Some justice system. At least we have the pleasure in seeing an ALP President paraded for what he was.

Willianson stole over $1million, through clear and deliberate fraud, the intention was clear. He drew up false invoices from his wife and paid them to her

Thommo spent a few thousand on his charge card

whilst both deplorable, they are hardly the same thing

I suppose sinidosis is labor as well?  ;D ;D ;D

John Smith wrote on Mar 28^th, 2014 at 11:54am:

bogarde73 wrote on Mar 28th, 2014 at 11:02am: Williamson gets 7.5 years, Thompson gets 3 months. Some justice system. At least we have the pleasure in seeing an ALP President paraded for what he was. Willianson stole over $1million, through clear and deliberate fraud, the intention was clear. He drew up false invoices from his wife and paid them to her Thommo spent a few thousand on his charge card whilst both deplorable, they are hardly the same thing I suppose sinidosis is labor as well?  ;D ;D ;D

I suppose sinidosis is labor as well? 

No that's why he hasn't been charged with any WRONG DOING     ;D ;D ;D

woody2014 wrote on Mar 28^th, 2014 at 12:03pm:

John Smith wrote on Mar 28th, 2014 at 11:54am: bogarde73 wrote on Mar 28th, 2014 at 11:02am: Williamson gets 7.5 years, Thompson gets 3 months. Some justice system. At least we have the pleasure in seeing an ALP President paraded for what he was. Willianson stole over $1million, through clear and deliberate fraud, the intention was clear. He drew up false invoices from his wife and paid them to her Thommo spent a few thousand on his charge card whilst both deplorable, they are hardly the same thing I suppose sinidosis is labor as well?  ;D ;D ;D I suppose sinidosis is labor as well?  No that's why he hasn't been charged with any WRONG DOING     ;D ;D ;D

early days woody ... early days

besdies, since when do you wait for someone to be charged before you find them guilty? You certainly didn't wait for Thommo, slipper or Williamson ... in all three cases you had them guilty before you even knew the full story

John Smith wrote on Mar 28^th, 2014 at 12:04pm:

woody2014 wrote on Mar 28th, 2014 at 12:03pm: John Smith wrote on Mar 28th, 2014 at 11:54am: bogarde73 wrote on Mar 28th, 2014 at 11:02am: Williamson gets 7.5 years, Thompson gets 3 months. Some justice system. At least we have the pleasure in seeing an ALP President paraded for what he was. Willianson stole over $1million, through clear and deliberate fraud, the intention was clear. He drew up false invoices from his wife and paid them to her Thommo spent a few thousand on his charge card whilst both deplorable, they are hardly the same thing I suppose sinidosis is labor as well?  ;D ;D ;D I suppose sinidosis is labor as well?  No that's why he hasn't been charged with any WRONG DOING     ;D ;D ;D early days woody ... early days besdies, since when do you wait for someone to be charged before you find them guilty? You certainly didn't wait for Thommo, slipper or Williamson ... in all three cases you had them guilty before you even knew the full story

You have a link?  to me   ;) ;)

woody2014 wrote on Mar 28^th, 2014 at 12:07pm:

John Smith wrote on Mar 28th, 2014 at 12:04pm: woody2014 wrote on Mar 28th, 2014 at 12:03pm: John Smith wrote on Mar 28th, 2014 at 11:54am: bogarde73 wrote on Mar 28th, 2014 at 11:02am: Williamson gets 7.5 years, Thompson gets 3 months. Some justice system. At least we have the pleasure in seeing an ALP President paraded for what he was. Willianson stole over $1million, through clear and deliberate fraud, the intention was clear. He drew up false invoices from his wife and paid them to her Thommo spent a few thousand on his charge card whilst both deplorable, they are hardly the same thing I suppose sinidosis is labor as well?  ;D ;D ;D I suppose sinidosis is labor as well?  No that's why he hasn't been charged with any WRONG DOING     ;D ;D ;D early days woody ... early days besdies, since when do you wait for someone to be charged before you find them guilty? You certainly didn't wait for Thommo, slipper or Williamson ... in all three cases you had them guilty before you even knew the full story You have a link?  to me   ;) ;)

missing link are you woody? ;D ;D ;D

John Smith wrote on Mar 28^th, 2014 at 12:08pm:

woody2014 wrote on Mar 28th, 2014 at 12:07pm: John Smith wrote on Mar 28th, 2014 at 12:04pm: woody2014 wrote on Mar 28th, 2014 at 12:03pm: John Smith wrote on Mar 28th, 2014 at 11:54am: bogarde73 wrote on Mar 28th, 2014 at 11:02am: Williamson gets 7.5 years, Thompson gets 3 months. Some justice system. At least we have the pleasure in seeing an ALP President paraded for what he was. Willianson stole over $1million, through clear and deliberate fraud, the intention was clear. He drew up false invoices from his wife and paid them to her Thommo spent a few thousand on his charge card whilst both deplorable, they are hardly the same thing I suppose sinidosis is labor as well?  ;D ;D ;D I suppose sinidosis is labor as well?  No that's why he hasn't been charged with any WRONG DOING     ;D ;D ;D early days woody ... early days besdies, since when do you wait for someone to be charged before you find them guilty? You certainly didn't wait for Thommo, slipper or Williamson ... in all three cases you had them guilty before you even knew the full story You have a link?  to me   ;) ;) missing link are you woody? ;D ;D ;D

;D ;D ;D ;)

Rhet-Oracle wrote on Mar 28^th, 2014 at 11:11am:

Thomson    )                  ) common denominator = Labor Williamson  )

WRONG!

Common denominator = criminal.

gee

thommo  $25,000  3 months
williamson$1,000,000 7 years

eddie obeid $ 80,000,000  life, never to be released.
mouth watering

He got off lightly compared to what the Judge in hang em high would have dished out:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKITYu7z-AY

eeeeeeewwwwwwwww, 7 years when he was aleady rich anyway.

that won't be easy

ooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwww


Quote:

.................He also used union funds to crush any opposition.Among those who attended court was Paul Ford, a casual teacher, who travelled from Coffs Harbour to see Williamson being sentenced. In 1999, Mr Ford, Mark and Janice Hardacre, and others ran on a ticket challenging Williamson for control of the union. After taking action in the Industrial Relations Commission for permission to inspect Williamson's expenditure, they were horrified by what they saw. Williamson had an HSU-issued American Express card which he used for Chanel perfume, jewellery, restaurant bills, a $1045 David Jones bill, $105 on Clinique skin care products, valet parking, a gas bill, a $308 bike, shoes, designer handbags, $89 on a barbecue, a mattress and $579 on wine. Mr Ford and his team used this arsenal of blatant rorting in their campaign against Williamson.He responded by filing a $750,000 defamation suit against them for suggesting he was corrupt.While Williamson used union funds to sue his critics, Mr Ford and his team had to use their own money to fight the defamation action. After four years of "hell", and faced with losing their houses, they settled, each paying between $25,000 and $50,000. Under the terms of settlement they were never to say anything about Williamson and his credit-card rorts. Outside court Mr Ford said, "Those who supported and enabled him should also be held accountable. We want our $25,000 returned, especially to the family of the late Bill O'Connor." Mr Ford said that Mr O'Connor, the union's former state assistant secretary, was a 76-year-old pensioner at the time he had to pay $25,000 for trying to point out Mr Williamson was corrupt. Mr Ford is also angry with the NSW Labor Party "who knew about this but still promoted Williamson to national president of the party". After crushing his opposition with the defamation action, Williamson realised he had to hide his crimes better............

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/michael-williamson-jailed-for-health-services-union-fraud-20140328-35n3f.html

that's a bit naughty.
it includes more than just williamson too