Bearbeiten von „Kathy Jackson May Be Spared Jail Time“

<br>Former Health Services Union boss Kathy Jackson may be spared jail time for rorting more than $100,000 in member funds for expensive artwork, a Mercedes-Benz and overseas shopping trips.<br> <br>Once lauded as a whistleblower against corruption herself, Jackson used work credit cards and dodgy expense claims to cover up the systemic misuse of union funds between 2003 and 2011.<br> <br>The 52-year-old has pleaded guilty to two charges of obtaining financial advantage to the tune of $67,792.85 by deception.<br> <br>This has allowed her previous jury conviction for one count each of deceptively obtaining property and financial advantage worth $35,100 to be reported.<br> <br>The same jury acquitted her of 18 theft and two deception charges.<br> <br>Prosecutor Mark Gibson SC told a pre-sentence hearing in Victoria's County Court on Tuesday Jackson's abuse of her power warranted jail.<br> <br>But he also said it would be "not inappropriate" to suspend that sentence, which would spare the former HSU national secretary from serving time.<br> <br>Her crimes were motivated by "greed not need", Mr Gibson said.<br> <br>Judge Amanda Fox noted Jackson appeared unremorseful.<br> <br>She was an HSU branch secretary before becoming the national boss.<br> <br>Union funds were used for her [https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/shopping%20trips shopping trips] to India and Hong Kong, as well as holidays to [https://www.kynghidongduong.vn/tours/tour-bali-tour-du-lich-bali-indonesia-4-ngay-3-dem-tu-ha-noi-tu-sai-gon-hcm-may-bay.html tour bali giá rẻ], the US and Europe with her children, then-husband Jeff and subsequent boyfriend Michael Lawler.<br> <br>In 2008, Jackson used HSU money to buy a $22,000 Mercedes-Benz from the husband  [https://www.kynghidongduong.vn/tours/tour-bali-tour-du-lich-bali-indonesia-4-ngay-3-dem-tu-ha-noi-tu-sai-gon-hcm-may-bay.html tour bali giá rẻ] of a former union legal adviser.<br> <br>That same year she arranged to be reimbursed for her purchase of a $4636 portrait by revered Australian artist Charles Blackman.<br> <br>Jackson claimed it was for work but displayed it at her Balwyn home in Melbourne's east.<br> <br>Other fraudulent purchases included for a $1650 home entertainment unit, a $576 gift basket for a friend and ex-union lawyer, and more than $1000 of CDs, DVDs and console games.<br> <br>Jackson in 2011 blew the whistle on her predecessor, former Labor MP Craig Thomson,  [https://www.kynghidongduong.vn/tours/tour-bali-tour-du-lich-bali-indonesia-4-ngay-3-dem-tu-ha-noi-tu-sai-gon-hcm-may-bay.html kynghidongduong.vn] and former union general secretary Michael Williamson.<br> <br>Mr Gibson suggested she may have been trying to deflect attention from her own misdeeds, but acknowledged this couldn't be proven to the requisite standard.<br> <br>Acting for Jackson, barrister Theo Alexander summed up the case as "good people do bad things".<br> <br>He read out character references lauding Jackson as a workaholic who had no tolerance for dishonesty.<br> <br>"Kathy couldn't lie straighter in bed," one read.<br><br>Mr Alexander acknowledged the irony.<br> <br>Jackson remains on bail and is due to be sentenced next Thursday.<br>