Labor politican Craig Thomson's escort claims starting to crumble From: The Daily Telegraph August 19, 2011 10:00PM
UNDER PRESSURE: Labor MP Craig Thomson denies new escort allegations as he is questioned by journalists at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: Ray Strange Source: The Australian
EMBATTLED Labor MP Craig Thomson's claim another union official repaid $15,000 in escort agency bills charged to the MP's credit card is in doubt amid assertions no such payment was made.
A former senior Health Services Union official has told The Daily Telegraph the only person who paid back $15,000 to the union in recent years was former Victorian state secretary Jeff Jackson - and that had nothing to do with prostitutes.
The revelation comes as a former Australian Taxation Office official predicted Mr Thomson would face an investigation into his finances. When questioned on radio earlier this month over the use of prostitute services on his union credit, Mr Thomson told 2UE: "The union reached a settlement with another gentleman who paid back $15,000 in relation to the use of credit cards at an escort agency. I don't know whether he forged my signature or who did."
A union source said yesterday: "The only $15,000 I know about was $15,000 Jeff Jackson agreed to pay back to the union over him authorising himself a wage increase."
Mr Thomson issued a "no comment" yesterday when asked about the payment.
Mr Jackson is understood to have settled with the union over wage increases which he allegedly issued himself without authorisation.
Mr Jackson was also accused in 2009 of credit card payments to the agency but strenuously denied the allegations.
A storm has raged around Mr Thomson since it was revealed NSW Labor paid more than $150,000 for legal fees after he dropped a defamation suit against Fairfax in March.
The suit was over newspaper claims he used his corporate credit card for prostitutes. The ALP paid the fees to help Mr Thomson avoid bankruptcy, which would have forced him to resign from Parliament and brought down the minority Gillard Government.
When asked yesterday why Mr Thomson retained her confidence, Julia Gillard said: "Mr Thomson is a good representative for his constituency."
Of particular interest on Mr Thomson's former union credit card bill is an alleged $2475 payment incurred with Sydney Outcall Services.
Documents uncovered in the Fairfax defamation case show his signature on a credit card voucher, with his driver's licence number on the voucher.
The large bill has prompted speculation within Labor that several people may have used the services on the day in question, in 2005.
While NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell yesterday called for Mr Thomson to resign, Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott stopped short, instead saying Ms Gillard needed to answer questions on the issue.
