Well Well Well I beg to differ

Former Labor MP Craig Thomson granted bail after being charged over alleged migration fraud

Thomson surrenders his passport and agrees not to approach any witnesses involved in alleged visa scheme

Wearing a white open-neck shirt, Thomson appeared by video link from Gosford police station and was represented in court by another Labor figure, the former New South Wales secretary of the ALP, Jamie Clements.

Thomson has been charged with allegedly facilitating more than 130 fraudulent visa applications – focusing on the food service and regional farmworker industries – over four years, resulting in more than $2m allegedly being gained from this activity.

The multi-agency investigation, led by the AFP and comprising the Australian Border Force (ABF), Austrac, the taxation office and Department of Home Affairs – allegedly found evidence of a scheme intended to defraud legitimate visa programs.

Chelsea Brain, for the commonwealth director of public prosecutions, opposed bail, saying Thomson was an “unacceptable flight risk” because he had significant contacts in India and there was evidence he had been attempting to access his superannuation.

She also told the court the AFP had evidence that after his first interview with police in July 2021 he had attempted to tamper with evidence.

She said the commonwealth would allege Thomson was “a facilitator” of the visa scheme and though he had not lodged the fraudulent applications himself, he was the “common thread” between the more than 130 applications that are the subject of the case.

She said if found guilty he faced a lengthy custodial sentence.