Credit card sex scandal threatens to derail Gillard's fragile government
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.When you have a parliamentary majority of one, the last thing you want is a sex scandal enveloping an MP in a marginal constituency. But that is Julia Gillard's situation, just over a year after the inconclusive election that brought her Labor government to power in Australia.
Police are investigating allegations that Craig Thomson, a Labor backbencher who used to be national secretary of the Health Services Union, used his union credit card to pay thousands of dollars to a Sydney brothel. He has denied any wrongdoing and claims that another person, whom he has not named, took the card and forged his signature.
With support for Labor at rock bottom – an opinion poll yesterday put it 14 points behind the conservative coalition – the affair has the potential to topple Ms Gillard's government. If convicted of theft or fraud, Mr Thomson would have to quit parliament, triggering a by-election that Labor would almost certainly lose. The coalition would then either take government or there would be fresh elections.
Last week it was revealed that Labor had paid legal fees of about A$90,000 (£57,000) incurred by Mr Thomson in relation to a defamation action against the The Sydney Morning Herald. The gift saved him from bankruptcy, which would have forced him to resign his seat. He dropped the legal action in May, just before it was due to go to court. The SMH aired fresh allegations this week, publishing excerpts from court documents that appear to show that Mr Thomson's credit card was being used at the same time that calls were made to an escort agency.
The scandal relates to a period before Mr Thomson entered parliament in 2007, but still has the potential to be highly damaging.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments