Abbott remarks on Thomson 'breach law'

Federal minister Anthony Albanese says the opposition may have breached the Crimes Act by calling for MP Craig Thomson's resignation.

Mr Thomson faces civil court action by Fair Work Australia over his alleged misuse of Health Services Union member funds when he was national secretary from 2002 to 2007.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said on Friday: "The best thing for everyone - to take the pressure off him, to take the pressure off his family - would be for (Mr Thomson) to leave the parliament."

Mr Albanese said Mr Abbott had gone a step too far.

"They've now gone the next step," Mr Albanese told ABC radio.

"They've now gone to the step which is a breach of Section 28 of the Crimes Act in attempting to suggest that `we'll lay off if you just resign from parliament'.

"That is a very serious thing for the leader of the opposition to do."

Under Section 28 of the Crimes Act it is an offence for anyone "who, by violence or by threats or intimidation of any kind, hinders or interferes with the free exercise or performance, by any other person, of any political right or duty".

Mr Albanese said it "may well be looked at by the appropriate authorities".

"The Crimes Act is very clear about not allowing any intimidation of any kind which hinders or interferes with the free exercise of any political right or duty," Mr Albanese said.

Mr Albanese said Mr Thomson had never expressed to him any indication he would resign from parliament.

"He ... declares his innocence of all the allegations that have been made against him," the minister said.

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/abbott-remarks-on-thomson-breach-l...

Abbott is a Christian: gee, who would've thunk it!!

skippy. wrote on May 25^th, 2012 at 4:10pm:


It is sooooooooo funny!

Locked up with a cross dressing sex worker, hellooooo he's meant to be punished, not enjoying it. How often would longy pop in for a conjugal visit?

I hope Tony doesn't sit at the Indigenous table by mistake. No No No I will not say sorry.

All christian hypocrites should be urged to suicide by media!!

In the name of Tony Abbott I have been given the power to demand this forever and ever and ever!!!

Armchair_Politician wrote on May 25^th, 2012 at 4:27pm:


Exactly! Besides, it'd be at least four years before any investigation found anything under THIS government.[/quote]
I'm sure the government can fast track it to bring your squeeze down. It would be for the good of the country,after all.

I told you to wait for the news to break..how did I know?

Well here we go again.

"Abbott broke the law" I THINK NOT

"Abbott accused of breaking the law" FAIR ENOUGH

Everyone who said Abbott has behaved badly against Thomson, and then turn around and declare Abbott as being guilty of something he is massively unlikely to ever be charged with, are really putting themselves up to look like total hypocrites, or dills.

As to the suggestion by Mr Alabanese, that Abbott may have contravened whatever rule he said, we can look at it two ways;
1; As an interested party just making an observation of the situation as they see it.
2; As a primary instigator of a massive amount of the pressure he suggests that Thomson can alleviate by leaving parliament, the statement from Abbott could be construed as some type of threat, "resign, or else" would paraphrase the intention being suggested of Abbott's comment.

Personally, while I can see how the argument for the second scenario is not delusional, or to incredible to believe, to once more paraphrase some Lib frontbenchers language, I do not believe any investigator could definitively prove Abbott intended it that way, and hence, nothing will come of it.
It may help inspire Mr Abbott to be more thoughtful about what he says, but I wouldn't count on it, his basic nature seems inclined to being a bit of an A-Hole.

mozzaok wrote on May 25^th, 2012 at 4:55pm:


Actually it was meant exactly that way...Thomson quits and then we lay off him, thats pretty much what Abbott has said all along.