. Mark Lennon Secretary 4 Glen St, Blaxland Unions NSW April 11 ...

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Mark Lennon
Secretary 4 Glen St, Blaxland
Unions NSW April 11, 2012
Dear Mark
Last September, the SMH ran a front page article by Kate McClymont under the
heading ‘Systemic, organised fraud’. In the article a former HSU ‘official’ stated:
‘If you went somewhere you didn’t just buy a bottle of wine you bought the ;
best bottle of wine. Everything was put on the union credit card. On most Thursdays,
10 or 12 people from the union would enjoy boozy lunches. The tab was always
picked up by Mr Williamson, who put it on his union credit card. We would go to the
Chinese down in Goulburn Street. We would start eating at 12 and we would be
drinking at 6 or 7 at night. We would sit around thinking we’re the union with power,
with power. We were quite conspicuous in the way we just consumed the members’
money. None of this behaviour was secret to the ALP.’
The same day, on Saturday AM, Ged Kearney was asked if she was aware of these
long lunches and this type of thing happening in the HSU. Kearney replied that she
had ‘no knowledge of the specific allegations’ and added ‘there are appropriate
channels for its members to take concerns, any concerns, through the democratic
process…. I think it’s a pity that some things are now being played out like this in the
media’
You know, Mark, how supportive the ALP is of the democratic process. When
Michael Williamson was last challenged in September 1999, by his former close
confidante and campaign manager, your predecessor was sent by his predecessor to
talk me out of running. He told me the story about his dad. I reminded John of our
conversation and my argument for challenging Williamson, in an email I sent to him
on April 12, 2009, which was , in summary;
the extraordinary number of times Michael had been mugged at ATM’s and had to
withdraw additional money to compensate…
the six hour lunches every Thursday, before, during and after Labor Counci…l
Michaels regular visits too motels with the office manager Cheryl McMillan, the
sister of Lyn Astill, the unions finance manager…
I reminded John that I had worked 5 years with Ecob at the AWU before joining
HREA and the contrast could not be more stark. Ernie brought a packed lunch to work
an sat at his desk with timed toilet breaks. He was old school. Roozendaal was
generous enough to turn up, late, at Ernie’s funeral, at Revesby in 2000 accompanied
by a few of the bright young things. He managed to laugh and joke through much of
the service and then left early.

In my email I asked the Minister if he thought that Williamson should be the next
National President of the party and concluded with ‘you have the power to do
something about this, why don’t you? John’s response was considered and
encouraging:
‘I don’t recall you raising the specific allegations ….with me at that time’ and in
response to the Williamson Presidency ‘Should you have specific concerns about the
leadership of the ALP I would encourage you to take the matter up with the party’s
national office’
Kate McClymont wanted me to take the matter up with her, but I declined.
Michael Williamson
In another life Michael would have made a good car salesman or property developer. I
think his only regret in his tenure at HREA/ HSU is that he didn’t get enough money
early enough to send his boys to Joey’s rather than slumming it at Marcellan.
He came to the union as an industrial office from the Dept of Health. He led a coup in
1995 against Harry White, with the permission of Head Office. Michael then
proceeded to plunder the union’s significant wealth.
I was with Michael and Craig at the Gilllelands’ rented house on the water at Point
Clare prior to them taking over Williamson’s printing and was usually with them for
lunch at Carron Gilleland brother’s restaurant in Paddington.
Michael has next to no affiliation or interest in ALP industrial values. Michael has
achieved power and wealth through manipulation of the union rules, the pathetic
oversight provided under state industrial legislation, the meek labor union auditors, ---
------------, a full time barrister and former employee, ------------- and ------------- from
------------ who together enforced and threatened defamation against anyone who
made life uncomfortable for Williamson and the team.
Although Williamson has turned the HSU into a kleptocracy, he has shown a return
on members’ investments which, he argues, excuses his personal conduct, like the
CEO of a large business. His personal con duct is really, in his mind, therefore, at best
irrelevant and at least excusable.
He is however the bastard child of the NSW ALP. He is your creation. You gave him
all the bits and bobs that gift a leader such as him. Now you want to take them off him
and give them to the ironworkers. You already gave them the AWU. Why not give it
to the Bradburys, or the Lennons or the Mylans? (He’s a good boy).
But I will ask you what I asked Roberson 3 years ago. Why isn’t there a standard of
practice for these guys? What are Unions NSW and the Labor opposition going to do
about the broken framework that enabled and encouraged the rise of Williamson?
Peter O’Toole