The former Labor MP Craig Thomson has been ordered to pay $457,171 for defrauding the Health Services Union for charges he made on his union credit card when he worked for it.
Thomson was ordered to pay the HSU $231,234 as compensation and $145,937 in interest by Justice Christopher Jessup on Tuesday.
He was also fined $80,000 to be paid to the Fair Work Commission.
Thomson made the fraudulent charges to the union credit card between 2003 and 2007 when he was head of the HSU. He used some of the money to pay for his 2007 election campaign for the Central Coast seat of Dobell and also spent union funds on escorts.
Jessup said Thomson had shown no contrition or any appreciation of the seriousness of the matters found against him.
The Fair Work Commission’s general manager, Bernadette O’Neill, released a statement welcoming the decision soon after the damages were announced.
“I am particularly pleased that this decision recognises the impact of Mr Thomson’s actions on the union’s membership by the awarding of compensation to the HSU,” she said.
“Today’s decision sends a clear message to all officers of registered organisations that a failure to meet their obligations under the Fair Work Registered Organisations Act 2009 is a serious issue and will be treated accordingly.”
