Former HSU national secretary Kathy Jackson has today failed in her attempt to appeal a Federal Court decision for her to repay about $1.4 million to her old union.
A dramatic drop in membership helped push the AWU's Queensland branch to a $1.6 million loss in 2014-15, with its auditors expressing "material uncertainty" over its ability to continue as a going concern.
The Federal Court has this morning ordered former HSU national secretary Craig Thomson to pay about $458,000 in compensation and fines for inappropriate spending during his reign.
The NUW's troubled NSW branch faces a complete $250,000 write-down on its investment in a failed media company, Manic Times Pty Ltd, while the union's national secretary has confirmed it proceeded with a fundraiser that came under fire in the Heydon Royal Commission.
Former NUW NSW branch secretary Derrick Belan has rejected legal arguments by his old union that he was largely responsible for its governance problems.
CFMEU national secretary Michael O'Connor has been described in Federal Parliament as the "Sepp Blatter of the union movement" by a Nationals senator in tabling affidavits by three former CFMEU officials who continue to claim they were driven out of the NSW construction branch for whistleblowing.
The AWU and Cleanevent are awaiting a Federal Court ruling on their legal tussle over the modern award to cover cleaners at the Spotless group subsidiary.
The NUW's NSW branch has admitted "very serious governance failures" in recent years, while seeking to defend president Marilyn Issanchon and new state secretary Wayne Meaney.
The HSU has told the Federal Court it should not hear an appeal by former national secretary Kathy Jackson against repaying $1.4 million, because her status as an undischarged bankrupt means she has no standing.
